Bristol-Myers Squibb & The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Announce Charitable Donation to Support Critical Routine Testing & Awa...
August 04 2015 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) today announced a
charitable donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
The donation will provide financial assistance for chronic myeloid
leukemia (CML) patients who need help paying for Polymerase Chain
Reaction (PCR) testing, an important tool used in the diagnosis and
monitoring of CML. The donation will also support LLS CML awareness
activities focused on educating patients, caregivers and healthcare
providers about the importance of continued monitoring with PCR
testing.
“Routine PCR testing is critical because oncologists rely on the
results to determine their patients’ clinical status of early and
ongoing response to CML treatment and to help detect when patients
are potentially becoming resistant to treatment, which may allow
for earlier intervention,” said Louis J. DeGennaro, LLS’s president
and CEO. “Research indicates that early response to treatment and
careful monitoring correlate with better overall survival
rates.”
The PCR test is used both in the diagnosis of CML and to monitor
for cancerous cells after treatment has begun. It is the most
sensitive testing method available, with the ability to detect a
single cancerous cell among one million healthy cells.
Recommendations suggest that a CML patient should receive a PCR
test every three months for the first three years after diagnosis,
and every three to six months thereafter based on how well their
treatment is working. The average cost of a PCR test is $345 and
can be as high as $500 per test. The program will assist insured
and uninsured patients with out-of-pocket costs for PCR testing.
The donation will also fund national CML awareness activities that
will be undertaken by LLS’s 56 chapters, as well as grassroots
efforts through local networks of patients, volunteers and
healthcare institutions.
“With the life expectancy of more CML patients increasing, the
need for routine PCR testing is very important to ensure optimal
treatment results,” said Laura Bessen, MD, vice president, head of
U.S. Medical, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “Bristol-Myers Squibb is
committed to helping patients living with CML have access to this
important test and to also help patients better understand why the
testing is important for their long-term prognosis.”
LLS will also partner with The Max Foundation, Cancer Support
Community and the National CML Society to facilitate ongoing
promotion and awareness about the PCR Financial Assistance and
Awareness Program.
To find out more about the PCR Financial Assistance and
Awareness Program or to apply, call LLS at (877) 614-9242 or visit
www.LLS.org/PCR.
About Chronic Myeloid
Leukemia
CML is a slow-growing type of leukemia in which the body
produces an uncontrolled number of abnormal white blood cells.
According to LLS, approximately 33,990 people in the United States
are living with CML. An estimated 5,980 new cases of CML were
diagnosed in 2014. CML occurs when pieces from two different
chromosomes (chromosomes 9, 22) break off and attach to each other.
The newly formed chromosome is commonly called the Philadelphia
chromosome. The abnormal formation of this chromosome creates an
unwanted gene, called BCR-ABL. This gene is responsible for
the production of the BCR-ABL protein, which triggers the
development of abnormal white bloods cells, leading to CML. There
is no known cause for why this genetic change occurs.
About Bristol-Myers
Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global pharmaceutical company whose
mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines
that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more
information about Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit www.bms.com, or
follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmsnews.
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the world's
largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS
mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma,
and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS
funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides
free information and support services, and is the voice for all
blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable,
coordinated care.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has
chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more,
visit www.lls.org. Patients should contact the Information
Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to
9 p.m. ET.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150804005611/en/
Bristol-Myers SquibbShelly Mittendorf,
609-897-2055shelly.mittendorf@bms.comorThe Leukemia & Lymphoma
SocietyAndrea Greif, 914-821-8958andrea.greif@lls.org
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