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Prescription affordability: Assistance Options for Anticoagulants
Beth Waldron writes (Last updated May 7, 2020) There is help available for many people who can’t afford their anticoagulant (blood thinning) medication. Many pharmaceutical companies provide free or discounted medicines through prescription assistance programs, also called PAPs. Each program is administered by the pharmaceutical company and has its own qualifying criteria. We are unaware…
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Coumadin®: Discontinuation of Sale
Dr. Stephan Moll and Beth Waldron write (last updated April 28, 2020): The company making Coumadin® (warfarin sodium) tablets, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), announced that it will discontinue the sale and distribution of Coumadin® (see the FDA filing here). A memo on the BMS website says: “all strengths of Coumadin® (warfarin sodium) tablets will be discontinued…
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Coronavirus for patients: Plan your blood thinner medication refills
Beth Waldron, MA writes….For patients on life-saving therapies like blood thinners (anticoagulants) having several weeks supply of medication on hand during the coronavirus outbreak is important not only to reduce the need to be out in public, but to ensure you have everything you need already at home if you do get sick. However, getting…
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New Oral Anticoagulant FDA Approved – Bevyxxa (Betrixaban)
Stephan Moll, MD writes… On June 23, 2017, the FDA approved a 5th new oral anticoagulant for clinical use, Bevyxxa® (= Betrixaban). It is approved to prevent DVT and PE in patients who are significantly immobile during and after hospitalization for an acute medical illness. Full prescribing information: here. FDA details: here. In the APEX study…
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Blood or Organ Donation: Being on Blood Thinners or Having a Thrombophilia
“I am on warfarin (Coumadin®). Can I donate blood?” No. A person on a blood thinner (anticoagulant), like warfarin, will not be accepted as a blood donor
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Pradaxa approval – Great news!
Summary The new oral “blood thinner” Pradaxa® (=Dabigatran) was approved by the FDA on October 20th, 2010 (ref 1 and 2). This is huge news! This is the first oral blood thinner alternative to warfarin (=Coumadin®, Jantoven®). At this point, Pradaxa® is only FDA approved for use in patients with irregular heart beat (= atrial…
