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ESAFacts.org Information for Physicians and PatientsErythropoiesis Stimulating Agents and Cancer Treatment
Aranespâ (darbepoetin alpha) Epogenâ (epoetin alpha) Procritâ (epoetin alpha) ALERT!!! If you found your way to
this site, then you are probably familiar with some of the debate and confusion
over the proper role of ESAs during cancer treatment. There is much information
in many different places but making sense of it can be time consuming. We decided that a single site where as much
information as possible can be easily obtained, compared and analyzed would
give each individual a better basis for making decisions about the use of ESA
products. The Issue: Opinions
about the proper use of ESAs in the context of cancer therapy range from
statements that they can be life saving to statements that they can be life
threatening. Some professionals believe
that current CMS (Medicare) policy for reimbursement is too restrictive and
denies patients access to drugs they need.
Other professionals believe that due to safety risks, especially the
possibility of tumor promotion, ESAs should not be used at all by people with
cancer. The relevant science and
medicine is complex, and there may or may not exist sufficient data or evidence
to draw definitive conclusions. But,
patient interests can only be effectively served through full disclosure and
transparency with respect to available data. Our Objective: To provide
easy access to as much current information as possible,
without unnecessary editorial spin or comment, and to provide links to sources for
additional information. If we make comments of an editorial nature, we will clearly
identify them as opinion or points to consider, and not as fact.
When we provide
excerpts from longer documents, we will identify the information as an excerpt
and provide a link to the complete document so that you can evaluate the
excerpt in the context of its original presentation. When we believe that two documents reach
conflicting conclusions about the same data or evidence, we will attempt to
point out the conflict. When we encounter
questions for which we cannot provide answers, we will simply list the questions
and then post answers if and when we receive them. Disclosure: This website
is a project of the Marti Nelson Cancer Foundation (CancerActionNow.org), and
is not financed by any other organization. The Marti Nelson Cancer Foundation
is an all-volunteer organization with no financial ties to any person or
organization that makes, sells, prescribes or pays for ESA products. This website is being maintained by part-time
volunteers who were already over-worked before this website came into
existence. Disclaimer: We are not
offering medical advice. We make no
promises about the completeness of information on this site and we do not
promise to never make a mistake. If we
sometimes fail to give adequate credit to the original authors of the information
we provide, we apologize in advance. Contact and Help: If you find
mistakes on this site, or have information you think should be available on
this site, or if you would like us to provide a link to a source of valuable
information about ESAs, please contact us at this email address: esafacts (at) yahoo.com. This site is an ongoing
construction zone. Check back often for
updates! This website is a project of: This website is a project of: |
