Assistance Program for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

         Chronic myeloid leukemia patients account for about 20% of the leukemia population, and the biggest obstacle in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia is the medical cost of patients. “Gleevec/Daxena” is a targeted drug for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, Novartis and China Charity Federation carried out a patient assistance program, included in the new agricultural cooperative reimbursement (in progress) and participate in the assistance program, patients spend about 10,000 yuan a year. During a treatment year, the patient will be reimbursed at the NCCA rate for the first 3 months of the drug, and the last 9 months of the drug will be free of charge.        In order to meet the treatment needs of drug-resistant or intolerant patients, to alleviate the drug burden of low-income/special-needs and some low-income patients, and to enable more patients to receive timely drug assistance to more effectively control disease progression and improve the quality of survival, the China Cancer Fund, through the drug donation support of Bristol-Myers Squibb, has launched the “Love All the Way” program nationwide. “The program will be launched from August 1, 2012.  The program will start accepting applications from August 1 this year to provide full or partial free assistance to low-income/special-needs and low-income patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who are in urgent need of Stacyse treatment. The program will cover a total of 21 cities and 82 hospitals across China, with 13 free dispensing sites. The first batch of more than 150 designated physicians from across China will participate in the program to provide services to patients.