ASH Clinical News December 2014 | Page 15

UP FRONT ASH Directions High-Cost and High-Demand New ASH Drug Access Web Page Provides Resources for Clinicians and Patients Hematologic drugs are expensive and often available only in specialty tiers of prescription drug plans – presenting several barriers to access. To help ensure patient access to safe and effective hematologic drugs, ASH recently launched a Drug Resources Web page (hematology.org/Clinicians/Drugs). The Web page provides a consolidated list of resources to keep physicians informed of newly approved therapies, safety and prescription matters, shortages of critical hematologic drugs, and ways to access high-cost hematologic drugs for patients. Read on to learn more about the program and how clinicians can utilize this resource in their own practices. ASH’s Drug Access Web page (hematology.org/Clinicians/Drugs) High-Cost Hematologic Drug Access In all areas of medicine, high drug prices are a major issue facing patients, but the cost of treatment is particularly burdensome for patients with hematologic conditions such as leukemia, lymphoma, and hemophilia. After being notified of the problem of high-cost drugs by the Committee on Practice, ASH staff reached out to the practice community to learn about the impact of drug costs on patient care. The findings were presented at the Executive Committee 2014 May Retreat, and the result of these discussions was the development of an ASH hi