Tag Archive for: Cancer Drug Parity Act

October 2022 Notable News

The month of October brings exciting legislature to help patients afford available cancer treatments. Once passed, this legislature could make cancer treatment equitable and affordable while having a profound impact on the future. Scientists have created a new cancer vaccine for high risk melanoma patients that when given in combination with a cancer medication has encouraging results. Scientists have also found an experimental treatment for cancer that uses a modified herpes virus that has very promising early results. Lawmakers have an impact on cancer treatment by regulating laws that govern the insurance companies and are equally as important as the scientists finding the new cancer treatments.

Insurance Companies Shouldn’t Decide Which Cancer Treatment You Get. That Could Change.

There is a term that is familiar to cancer patients and providers, financial toxicity. Financial toxicity is when patients cannot afford the available treatment for their cancer. New options for cancer treatment are available; it used to be just IV medications but now there are oral medications to treat cancer. Insurance companies do not look at the two cancer treatments the same. They often deny coverage or impose huge out of pocket costs for the oral medication despite that doing so puts the patient at risk and violates the doctor-patient relationship by ignoring a prescribed treatment plan, in favor of saving money reports CharlotteObserver.com. There is legislation in front of congress called Cancer Drug Parity Act that could change this for cancer patients. This Act asks for the health plan to cover the level of cost share for all different kinds of cancer medications; it would assure the patients under the plan would get the treatment that they needed. There have been 40 states that have passed legislation regulating insurance plans, this act addresses the federal government. This legislation keeps the decision about cancer treatment between the patient and the oncologist. Click to read the full story.

A Cancer Vaccine for High-Risk Melanoma Patients

Scientists have created a cancer vaccine for Stage-2 melanoma that is custom for each patient. This vaccine is based on messenger RNA technology. The goal of Moderna’s vaccination is to stimulate the immune system to release killer T cells that specifically target particular mutations in patients reports HealthDigest.com. Scientists will give the vaccine with a drug already FDA approved called Keytruda. Keytruda is a monoclonal antibody that is already used to treat certain cancer types. Melanoma is a skin cancer that starts in the cells that make melanin and it is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Melanoma can spread to other parts of the body. It is caused by UV exposure from the sun or tanning bed and the UV rays damage DNA. Early detection increases survivability. Wearing sunscreen that blocks the damaging UV rays is important for prevention of melanoma. This vaccine in combination with Keytruda offers hope for people at high risk of developing melanoma. Click to read the full story.

Experimental Treatment With Modified Herpes Virus Cured Terminal Cancer

Scientists have managed to wipe out terminal cancer using a modified version of the herpes virus. A patient in a trial for the cancer-extermination virus saw his cancer completely disappear after the treatment. Over 15 months later, he has remained cancer free, according to the Institute of Cancer Research in London reports BGR.com. This treatment is still in it is early stages but is offering positive results and hope for cancer patients.There have been other viruses used to treat disease and cancer, the safety of the virus dosage is scientists biggest concern. The virus multiplies in the tumor and causes the tumor to burst from the inside out. The virus also increases the immune system’s ability to kill the cancer. Viruses help scientists target the cancer cells specifically. It is an example of looking at something that typically harms the body, in a new light to kill cancer. Click to read full story.