Enbrel for psoriasis

[Greg D]

Is there any information available about a way to acquire Enbrel at a lower cost? I havae only recently heard of Enbrel and its success in treating psoriasis. I have had psoriasis for over 30 years and am interested in anything that would help. But, I can't afford the cost of this medication.

[Brendan O Donoghue]

Hi Greg,

I started taking Enbrel 3 weeks ago, my psoriasis was flaring and angry at that time.

After 3 weeks the flaring has stopped, the flaking is down about 70% and some plaques have started to clear.

There is a general feeling of well being and I am definately in better form and outlook than I was 3 weeks ago.

My son lives in Colorado Springs, he is also on Enbrel, he is on a shared scheme with Medicare, he pays about $40 per month.

I live in Ireland, my total drug bill is about $55 per month.

Brendan

[Brendan O Donoghue]

I am on Enbrel about 5 weeks now, I have got used to the self injecting, mind over matter, I just go off on my own, inject and tell no one about it.

I think I must be one of the lucky ones, I have seen a marked improvement, the plaques are barely visiable, skaling has cut down about 85%, and their is a general feeling of well being, that is after 10 injections.

I hope the improvement will continue, but I could definately live with the improvement to date.

I have no recordable side effects that I could write about.

Brendan

[Tonni]

I have been on Enbrel since April of 2006. I have had Psoriasis since 7 years old. I am now 29 years old. In December 2005, I was 75% covered in Psoriasis. I had the worse infection of my life at Christmas time while on a cruise and literally felt like I was going to die. I am a natural person meaning I really dont do medicine unless it is absolutely necessary. I knew about Enbrel and some of the other drugs for my condition. Well this time I knew I had to get off of my high horse and take some meds. I started Enbrel in April 2006. In 4 weeks, I was so excited because I felt like a person. As the weeks have gone by I am almost 100% cleared up. I get a few bumps here and there but nothing like before. I never had a side effects as of now ( FEB 2007. I praise this medicine and I can now live my life.

[Paul Montgomery Texas]

I just started my Enbrel treatment today. it has taken 3 years to get into a program study so i can afford Enbrel. If not for the program i am out over $900.00 a month and that is with my insurance. With this program I only pay $75.00 per month. That's the good news. The bad news is the program is only for a year and after that I'm back to square one. I am hoping for a breakthrough for a price reduction or find another program because i simply cannot affor the exhobitant cost of Enbrel. It is like a cruel joke to say to people "we have a cure or a way to eliminate your symptoms but you cannot have it because you are not rich enough". How can this be in America today?

[South]

I've been on Enbrel for 7 weeks. Regretfully I have not seen any improvement with my psoriasis. I hope it is just a matter of time. Wish me luck!

[Peter C]

Hi,
FYI: I have been on Enbrel for about three years for P and it worked wonderfully 98% clear, but now its beginning to stop working. Started off with 2 shots a week then one shot a week. Not sure what to do now, guess I'll see what my derm says. I was recently doing UVB 3 times a week, but this doesn't really help that much.
Peter

Tonni wrote:

I have been on Enbrel since April of 2006. I have had Psoriasis since 7 years old. I am now 29 years old. In December 2005, I was 75% covered in Psoriasis. I had the worse infection of my life at Christmas time while on a cruise and literally felt like I was going to die. I am a natural person meaning I really dont do medicine unless it is absolutely necessary. I knew about Enbrel and some of the other drugs for my condition. Well this time I knew I had to get off of my high horse and take some meds. I started Enbrel in April 2006. In 4 weeks, I was so excited because I felt like a person. As the weeks have gone by I am almost 100% cleared up. I get a few bumps here and there but nothing like before. I never had a side effects as of now ( FEB 2007. I praise this medicine and I can now live my life.

[Scottie]

When enbrel first became available patients were cautioned that it was expensive, over $12,000 a year, they said.
Well, it was more like $14,000 a year based on the costs I saw on receipts when I started almost a year after it was first on the market.
It had no other biologic competitor.
Fast forward about 7 years, still on enbrel, and my receipts show that cost is now currently almost $23,000 a year, yet there's more competition in the biologic space than ever!

Of course it was developed by Immunex who got bought out by Amgen so they're likely the reason the cost of enbrel is going through the roof. Every year the price of enbrel is bumped up.

Without insurance, who can afford enbrel?

[Brendan O Donoghue]

If you live in Ireland, your maximum prescription drug bill for your family for a month is 85 euro about $110.

Health insurance does not cover Enbrel the Government do. There is no means test for people who are prescribed the drug.

My son lives in Colorado, he is on Enbrel 2 X 50mg a week, he pays $45 per month.

[Tom S]

Thanks to everyone for posting this information. I've had psoriasis for 17 years, and pretty much gave up on all treatment options until a friend told me about Enbrel. I think pills are very dangerous, and I think shots are even worse... but if it will help I will definately do it.
What I'm curious about is how Enbrel has worked after years of use. Seems most of the comments are after weeks or months. Anyone been on it for years, with good results and no major side effects?

[A lost soul]

Greg D wrote:

Is there any information available about a way to acquire Enbrel at a lower cost? I havae only recently heard of Enbrel and its success in treating psoriasis. I have had psoriasis for over 30 years and am interested in anything that would help. But, I can't afford the cost of this medication.

Try contacting the Enbrel company and ask if they have a patient assistance program you would get an application fill it out and attach required paperwork.

[big slim]

I am happy for the folk's who can afford enbrel. The reality is , without assistence of some type, you are screwed .I love my job ,but it has no health insurance. I make just enough money to(as I pointed out) get screwed . Those folk's with subsidized program's have no idea what anything costs, let alone enbrel.

[my name is amber]

Brendan O Donoghue wrote:

If you live in Ireland, your maximum prescription drug bill for your family for a month is 85 euro about $110.
Health insurance does not cover Enbrel the Government do. There is no means test for people who are prescribed the drug.
My son lives in Colorado, he is on Enbrel 2 X 50mg a week, he pays $45 per month.

hi i have been on enbrel for yrs now at first my parents ins covered it then i got into the foundation but i don't thinki will quilify that any more could you please help me out and let me know how the gov and 45$ a month
do you have any information on these gov plans that could help me with getting this covered i do have medicare now i just started receiving it i also heard they might does anyone out there know about that issue any help from anyone will be so helpful thanks amber

[Brendan ODonoghue]

Hi Amber,

Please contact Mark at:

[e-mail]

And tell him that his Dad sais it was ok to talk to you. I live in Ireland, Mark lives in Colorado Springs with his brother Jon.

Mark suffers from PA running too many marathons, San Francisco, Los Vegas etc. He is well up on Medicare sharing.

Brendan O'Donoghue
Dublin, Ireland

[christina in norcal]

hi i can help write me at [e-mail] i have lived with it for 31 years 6 forms of it

Greg D wrote:

Is there any information available about a way to acquire Enbrel at a lower cost? I havae only recently heard of Enbrel and its success in treating psoriasis. I have had psoriasis for over 30 years and am interested in anything that would help. But, I can't afford the cost of this medication.

[BRENDA SMITH]

YOU CAN GET EMBREL FOR FREE! I HAVE BEEN ON EMBREL FOR FREE, I TALKED WITH MY DERM. DOC ABOUT STARTING THIS MED. AFTER TWO YEARS OF RESCEARCH ON IT.I HAVE STATE ISSUED INSURANCE NOT MEDIAID , SO EMBREEL WAS GOING TO COST ME A TOTAL OF 3200.00 FOR A MONTH SUPPLY( THATS 8 PREFILLED INJECTIONS. I CANT AFFORD THAT SO MY DOC ENROLLED ME IN THE ENCOURAGE FONDATION, THEY BASE YOUR COST OF EMBREL ON YOUR INCOME. ASK UR DOC OR CALL FOR MORE INFO 800/282-7752

[LindaS]

Tom S wrote:

What I'm curious about is how Enbrel has worked after years of use. Seems most of the comments are after weeks or months. Anyone been on it for years, with good results and no major side effects?

I don't believe it has been available for many years, but I have been on it for a year and three quarters now and I see a huhe improvement in psoriasis. I am not as convinced about it slowing or stopping the degeneration from the associated arthritis, but the improvement in the psoriasis alone is worth it to me. I am also on methotrexate. I am lucky that I have insurance to cover most of it.

[Judi K]

I have just this past Monday finished a 4 month regime of two a week injections with Enbrel and I have had no improvement. In fact the psoriasis is covering more of my body than when I started...will see my doctor next week to see where we go from here.

[Brendan ODonoghue]

Judi K wrote:

I have just this past Monday finished a 4 month regime of two a week injections with Enbrel and I have had no improvement. In fact the psoriasis is covering more of my body than when I started...will see my doctor next week to see where we go from here.

Hi Judi,

I think it depends on what state your psoriasis is in when you start Enbrel.

If you are in a flare up situation, the flare up situation must stop before you start to see a general improvement, I do not think 4 months is too long, I would stick at it for another 4 months before I would make a decision.

I know in certain situations Enbrel does not work, I wonder has anyone the results of the clinical trials, they would be interesting to see.

Brendan

[Don Krumm]

I'm a 65 year old white male who has had psoriasis since 10. I'm starting enbrel tomorrow, and will let you all know how it turns out....