Exploring the real-world barriers that can delay access to CAR T-cell therapy, Lisa Hatfield, speaks with Dr. Krina K. Patel of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center about how geography, transportation, and limited resources can impact timely referral and evaluation.
Dr. Patel outlines practical steps patients from rural and underrepresented communities can take to reduce delays, highlights the role of social workers and patient support organizations, and explains how housing, transportation, and financial assistance programs can help bridge access gaps. She also shares an [ACT]IVATION tip to empower patients to advocate for support and navigate logistical challenges.
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Transcript
Lisa Hatfield:
Dr. Patel, geography, transportation, and resources can all affect whether patients are able to access CAR T in a timely way. What practical steps can patients from rural or underrepresented communities take to avoid delays in CAR T referral and evaluation?
Dr. Krina K. Patel:
Yeah, this is really important, because again, the FDA is trying to increase access by decreasing some of the, you know, bigger challenges that patients would have by not being able to drive, or needing a caregiver for longer, and now that we know that most patients don’t need any of that, I think they’re trying to make it easier, and now we just have to make it easier for all our patients to be able to get to the centers that do it.
I think big picture is we’re going to see if there’s ways that some of our newer CAR Ts will come in and other hospitals will be able to do it as well, instead of just academic centers like mine. But until then, I would say, you know, we have a lot of resources in terms of our social work, as well as the companies that make the CAR T, organizations like Blood Cancer United, and so, again, if you are going to get CAR T with us, for instance, the second you come to us, we have you talk to the social workers as well, so that anything that you might need in terms of housing, transportation, you know, other things when you’re leaving, in terms of, you know, your caregiver who works and now can’t work.
We actually ask, you know, for, again, anything that would keep you from being able to come for your CAR T, and then try to get you resources for that. Housing in Houston, we actually have places that will give you housing for free, but you have to be on, you know, the list. So that we, when we know that you’re moving forward, we make sure that you’re on those lists so that you can get a room at some of our really nice, we have homes, or housing for our hematology patients, for instance. So, a lot of our leukemia patients have to stay a long time, or our transplant patients, so same thing for our CAR T patients, we can actually offer some of those things. Lots of resources, it’s just making sure you talk to our teams and our social workers so they can get you to the right places in the right time.
Lisa Hatfield:
Okay, thank you. And how about an [ACT]IVATION tip for that particular question, a specific one for patients?
Dr. Krina K. Patel:
Yeah, so I think the, you know, the science and the logistics of CAR T are important, but make sure to let your teams know about, you know, the other things, like financial toxicity, and where we can help with that as well.