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Patient

Support Programs

Helpful patient resources from AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is committed to helping you support her every day. We have been dedicated to the fight against breast cancer for more than 30 years.

For more information, click on the links below:

IN YOUR CORNER™
AstraZeneca Cancer Support Network (AZ CSN)
AZ&Me™
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Presenting the IN YOUR CORNER patient support program: complementing the support you give your patients

Helps patients adjust to the period following initial surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy

Offers support during a time of reduced contact with health care professionals and staff

Provides guidance along the path from learning about the disease to focusing on everyday wellness

Encourages patients to stay informed and positive

Get more information on the IN YOUR CORNER patient support program.

AZ CSN The right help. Right Now™

AZ CSN offers information about prescription drug coverage, treatment, and support resources for cancer patients and oncology professionals. For information, please contact AZ CSN at 1-866-99-AZCSN (1-866-992-9276), Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm EST, excluding holidays. Or visit AZCSN.net.

Accessing patient-specific support services is now easier with AZ CSN

Expert guidance for you and your patients

Connection to support organizations for counseling and more

Educational resources

Patient education materials
Web resources

Information about prescription oncology drugs from AstraZeneca
Learn about ongoing AstraZeneca clinical trials

Reimbursement counseling for AstraZeneca oncology drugs is available

Verification of patient coverage
Review of plan-specific guidelines
Explanation of Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits
Identification of alternative coverage sources

AstraZeneca, state, and local assistance programs

Coding, filing, and appealing claims
Help with claims denials and letters of medical necessity
Multilingual assistance—in more than 150 languages

AZ CSN is provided to health care professionals and patients for informational purposes only. The laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to coverage and reimbursement are subject to change and do change from time to time. Information provided by AZ CSN does not constitute medical or legal advice and is not intended to be a substitute for a consultation with a licensed health care provider, your legal counsel, or applicable third-party payer(s).

AstraZeneca reserves the right to modify AZ CSN at any time without notice.

AstraZeneca Foundation Patient Assistance Program

The AstraZeneca Foundation Patient Assistance Program was created in 1978. The program is designed to provide AstraZeneca medicines free of charge to qualified patients. The program can help patients who do not have prescription drug coverage and who meet other eligibility criteria.

Highlights include:

Up to a 90-day supply of AstraZeneca medicines may be available free of charge, delivered directly to a patient’s home or a physician’s office
Patients or health care professionals can request refills when needed
One-on-one support is available to help patients identify and access health and drug coverage and services for which they may qualify
Once accepted, patients remain enrolled for 1 year. At the end of that year they can reapply

Learn more about eligibility requirements or download applications for your patients at www.azandme.com.

AstraZeneca and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM): a pioneering collaboration in women’s health

In 1985, the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation, in collaboration with CancerCare^®, a patient advocacy and educational organization, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, founded NBCAM.

The NBCAM organization is comprised of several national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working in partnership to build breast cancer awareness, share information and provide access to screening services. NBCAM and www.nbcam.org are year-round resources for patients, survivors, caregivers, and the general public.

Since its beginning more than 20 years ago, NBCAM has been dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues, especially the importance of early detection. NBCAM has evolved along with the national dialogue on breast cancer. Many strides have been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, but even more still needs to be accomplished. NBCAM is focused on encouraging women to take charge of their own breast health, by practicing regular breast self-exams, making sure to schedule an annual mammogram, adhering to prescribed treatment, and knowing the facts about recurrence.

Important Information About ARIMIDEX Tablets

ARIMIDEX is indicated for adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.

ARIMIDEX is indicated for first-line treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-unknown locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

ARIMIDEX is indicated for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women with disease progression following tamoxifen therapy. Patients with estrogen receptor-negative disease and patients who did not respond to previous tamoxifen therapy rarely responded to ARIMIDEX.

Important Safety Information About ARIMIDEX

ARIMIDEX is only for postmenopausal women. ARIMIDEX can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Before starting treatment with ARIMIDEX, pregnancy must be excluded (see WARNINGS section of full Prescribing Information).

Common side effects seen with ARIMIDEX vs tamoxifen in the early breast cancer trial after 5 years of treatment include hot flashes (36% vs 41%), joint disorders (including arthritis, arthrosis, arthralgia) (36% vs 29%), asthenia (19% vs 18%), mood disturbances (19% vs 18%), pain (17% vs 16%), pharyngitis (14% vs 14%), nausea and vomiting (13% vs 12%), depression (13% vs 12%), hypertension (13% vs 11%), osteoporosis (11% vs 7%), peripheral edema (10% vs 11%), and headache (10% vs 8%). Fractures, including fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist, occurred more frequently with ARIMIDEX vs tamoxifen (10% vs 7%).

Compared to baseline, ARIMIDEX showed a mean decrease in both lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral density. Tamoxifen showed a mean increase in these measurements. Nine percent of patients receiving ARIMIDEX had an elevated serum cholesterol vs 3.5% of patients receiving tamoxifen.

The common side effects seen with ARIMIDEX in advanced breast cancer trials include hot flashes (26.5%), nausea (18.6%), asthenia (16.4%), pain (13.8%), back pain (11.9%), bone pain (10.7%), and increased cough (10.9%). Joint pain/stiffness has been reported in association with the use of ARIMIDEX.

Clinical and pharmacokinetic results suggest that tamoxifen should not be administered with ARIMIDEX. Estrogen-containing therapies should not be used with ARIMIDEX, as they may diminish its pharmacologic action.

Please click here for full Prescribing Information.

ARIMIDEX is a registered trademark and IN YOUR CORNER, AZ&Me, and “The Right Help. Right Now.” are trademarks of the AstraZeneca group of companies. Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is a registered trademark of The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. CancerCare is a registered trademark of Cancer Care, Inc.