Novartis Oncology Patient Assistance Programs
- Amanda Bridges
- July 16, 2015
- Patient Assistance
The largest oncology patient access program at Novartis – the Glivec International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP) is the first global direct-to-patient access program – was developed to ensure patients with two rare cancers receive treatment.
This program, one of the most far-reaching patient assistance programs ever implemented on a global scale, is active in over 80 low- to middle-income countries, and donates to patients who are not insured, not reimbursed, cannot pay for the treatment privately and are in countries that have minimal reimbursement capabilities.
The Max Foundation(link is external) is our key collaborator in the administration of GIPAP globally. They provide advocacy and support services to people around the world. The Max Foundation also helps people enroll in patient access programs and care for their emotional health. For those countries where the Max Foundation is not present, our other partner, Axios International(link is external), supports interaction with GIPAP physicians and institutions in countries where Novartis does not have a presence. They manage the drug import process in countries and interact with GIPAP institutions on a regular basis to ensure that they follow correct procedures.
Novartis Oncology Access (NOA) program now includes products such as Tasigna (nilotinib), and Exjade.
These programs providinge sustainable access to Tasigna and Exjade where Novartis shares the responsibility of the cost of treatment with patients through two types of cost-sharing models:
- Shared contribution, where local governments, charities or other payors share the cost of the medication with Novartis
- Co-pay, where Novartis in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and the patient share the cost of the medication on a sliding scale, depending upon the patient’s ability to pay
Patients enrolled in NOA are financially assessed on a yearly basis to determine their eligibility and level of contribution, if any.
