Recent Posts on Compassionate Use
Social Security’s Compassionate Allowances explained
The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) pays disability benefits to people who cannot work because they have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death. Federal law requires this very strict definition of disability. While some programs give money to people with partial disability or short-term disability, Social Security does not.
How Long Must Dying Patients Wait for Justice?
How long must dying patients wait for justice? In a recent edition of the Wall Street Journal, Gregory Conko, Director of Food Safety Policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, an advocacy group based in Washington DC, [...]
Abigail Case Denied: Court Rules Against Patients’ Right to Choose
The legal battle that had been waged by the Abigail Alliance since 2003 ended abruptly on January 14 when the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal by the patient advocates. Currently, it is illegal [...]
Member Story – Judi Lifton
Judi Lifton had no idea what she was getting into when she tried to get compassionate use of AMN107 for her partner, Leland Emerson. He could not qualify for the trial as he had already taken Gleevec, Sutent and AMG706. Being ever the vigilant caregiver, Judi began the process which would end up consuming all of her time and possibly her sanity.
Compassionate use process is not so compassionate
Judi Lifton had no idea what she was getting into when she tried to get compassionate use of AMN107 for her partner, Leland Emerson. He could not qualify for the trial as he had already [...]
Darlene Vaughan – In Memoriam
Darlene Joyce Vaughan, 61, one of the “miracle patients” whose clinical trial experience helped speed government approval of Gleevec, died April 25 in Mesa, Ariz. Vaughan was one of the handful of clinical trial patients profiled in the book, “Magic Cancer Bullet,” written by Dr. Daniel Vasella, chairman and chief executive officer of the pharmaceutical company Novartis.