Eye Treatment Saves Money and Eyesight

[unhappycamper]

Eye Treatment Saves Money and Eyesight
Air Force Print News | December 14, 2007

12/13/2007 - SAN ANTONIO -- Two 59th Medical Wing team member's implementation of a new drug project to treat age related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, is helping patients and saving the Air Force $990 per unit dose.

~snip~

In 2005 researchers at the University of Miami identified a promising new drug to fight macular degeneration. Colonel Lane and Ms. Singleton wanted to bring the new treatment to Wilford Hall, but the drug was not commercially available to ophthalmologists.

At the time, the treatment for macular degeneration was costing the Air Force $995 per unit dose and the results for patients were disappointing. Each patient was re-treated every six weeks for two years, at a total annual cost of $16,915 per patient.

~snip~

Ms. Singleton discovered that the same drug was already being used at Wilford Hall in the hematology-oncology service and could be specially prepared by the bone marrow transplant pharmacy for about $5 per dose. She coordinated with the University of Miami and the pharmacy to ensure the drug was properly prepared for use in ophthalmology.

As a result of these efforts, patients are now benefiting from the state-of-the-art treatment for AMD for approximately $5 per injection and they are experiencing better outcomes with the new treatment, hospital officials said.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,158307,00.html

[flying_wahini]

1. They took matters into their own hands and changed lives!

How great is that?

Everybody knows that the drug companies aren't on our side -
nice to know that some people are paying attention....
isn't it?