Boston Scientific announced it will begin a new Plavix Compliance program aimed at helping patients with drug eluting stents stick with the full duration of their prescription for the dual anti-platelet inhibitors. Plavix has been identified by physicians and the FDA as a leading factor in preventing late stent thrombosis. Ninety-five percent of patients with insurance or Medicare receive full coverage for their Plavix prescriptions.
However, because as many as half of DES patients do not receive written instructions about their Plavix prescriptions, the company is initiating a program geared at educating patients about the drug’s importance to their recovery. Once fully implemented, Boston Scientific will provide educational literature, sponsor a phone and email reminder service to reinforce adherence to Plavix prescriptions, plus fund a financial component that covers one-year of Plavix for patients demonstrating need. Boston Scientific will also set up a free information hotline for patients: “ 1-800-Taxus 411.” The program, piloting in Q2 of this year and finalized by Q3, will be extended to all DES patients, regardless of the brand of stent physicians have used.