Novartis to continue helping poor patients

MANILA, Philippines - Novartis Healthcare Phils. has reaffirmed its commitment to implement innovative programs designed to help underprivileged Filipino patients gain access to effective cancer treatments.

“Novartis is committed to introducing new access models in cancer care so we may be able to help extend, improve and save the lives of more Filipino cancer patients,” said Eric van Oppens, president and CEO of Novartis Healthcare Phils., during the seventh anniversary celebration of the Novartis Glivec (Imatinib mesylate) International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP) held recently at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.

“The Department of Health is pleased to partner with Novartis in improving Filipino patients’ access to effective cancer treatments,” said Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral, who was the guest of honor during the celebration.

GIPAP is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching cancer patient access programs ever implemented on a global scale.

Since its global launch in 2002, GIPAP has provided Imatinib mesylate at no cost to more than 38,000 patients in 81 countries.

The program was launched in the Philippines in 2003 and broadened in 2008 to the Novartis Oncology Access (NOA) program, an innovative shared-contribution access program.

Since then, GIPAP and NOA have helped provide Imatinib mesylate and Nilotinib to over 1,550 socially disadvantaged Filipino cancer patients. From 2006 to 2009 alone, benefits provided by the combined GIPAP and NOA Program to Filipino patients had been valued at over P3 billion.

Imatinib is a proven-effective treatment for several forms of cancer, including Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML), cKIT+/ cd117+ gastrointestinal stromal tumor (cKIT+/ cd117+ GIST), Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL), and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

Nilotinib, meanwhile, is a proven-effective treatment for Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) after failure or intolerance imatinib treatment.

“Novartis helps patients enrolled in NOA comply with treatment by donating the portion of the cost of their full-year Imatinib mesylate or Nilotinib treatment which they cannot afford to pay. For NOA patients who are totally unable to contribute to even part of the treatment cost, Novartis shoulders the full-year Imatinib mesylate or Nilotinib treatment cost,” said Amelia Palo, business unit head for oncology of Novartis Healthcare Phils. 

To date, there are about 527 active NOA patients in the Philippines being treated by more than 2,000 partner-physicians across the archipelago.

Aside from partnering with specialists who oversee the cancer management aspect of NOA, Novartis also works with a local credit investigation agency that assists in financial eligibility screening of patients and a designated pharmacy partner that dispenses Imatinib mesylate or Nilotinib treatments.

About 400 patient-beneficiaries and their families who attended the celebration expressed their gratitude through Rod Padua, president of Touched by MAX, a core group of Filipino patients with CML and GIST and their families.

“We wish to thank Secretary Cabral for her invaluable support. Our heartfelt gratitude to Novartis for their generosity and commitment to underprivileged Filipino cancer patients,” said Padua, whose son is one of the GIPAP beneficiaries. 

In a pre-recorded video shown during the event, Pat Gracia-Gonzales, executive director of the Max Foundation, paid tribute to the courage of Filipino cancer survivors.

“You are warriors and messengers of new ideas. You remind us of the importance of setting up of strong channels of support and healthcare systems for people with cancer. By your actions and the lives you are living, you help us eradicate the stigma of cancer,” she said.

The Max Foundation is a US-based non-profit advocacy and patient support group dedicated to improving the lives and survival rates of patients with blood cancer and rare cancers worldwide. It assists in the administration of GIPAP.

“Novartis commemorates the annual anniversary of GIPAP as a thanksgiving and celebration of life for patient-beneficiaries as well as a re-affirmation of the Novartis commitment to Filipino cancer patients,” said Christine Liwanag, corporate affairs and market access director of Novartis Healthcare Phils.