Take a Second Look at HIV-associated Wasting

Resources for your patients

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Downloadable Patient Resources

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The AXIS Center Reimbursement and Treatment Support

The AXIS Center offers trained Reimbursement Specialists who can assist patients with verifying insurance benefits, determining coverage options, and locating pharmacies in their area.

Patient Assistance Program: The Serostim® Patient Assistance Program (PAP) helps people who have HIV-associated wasting get the Serostim® [somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection] treatment they need. Eligible patients must meet certain financial and medical criteria to receive Serostim® free of charge.

Copay Assistance Program: The Copay Assistance Program (CAP) can decrease or potentially eliminate out-of-pocket cost for eligible commercially- or privately-insured patients.

  • Patients must have a prescription drug benefit that covers Serostim® and a valid Serostim® prescription
  • Patient can have multiple cards but is only allowed a max of 12 Serostim® prescription discounts per lifetime
  • Patients may not use card if patients receive drug benefits from Medicaid, a Medicare drug benefit plan, or other federal or state programs (includes state Medicaid assistance program and/or pharmaceutical patient assistance programs). Additionally, patients may not use card if their private insurance, HMO, or other health or pharmacy benefit program paid for the entire Serostim® prescription
  • Void in any state where prohibited by law, taxed, or otherwise restricted. Not valid in Massachusetts

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Vial and Syringe Injection Instructions

What is Needed for Serostim® Injection

  • The Serostim® vial containing the medication in a freeze-dried powder
  • Diluent for injection vial holding the liquid you will mix with the Serostim® powder
  • A syringe used to mix the diluent with the Serostim® powder
  • Two needles
    • a longer, 20-gauge needle to add the diluents to the Serostim® vial and withdraw the solution before the injection
    • a shorter, 27-gauge needle to administer the injection
  • Alcohol swabs to clean the skin before the injection and to wipe the vial tops
  • A bandage or gauze pad to cover the injection site
  • Sharps container to dispose needles and syringes
  • Disposable gloves if someone else is giving the injection

All injection items should be unopened before use. Needles and syringes should never be shared or reused.

Injection Instructions
Total Time: 9:36

0:49 Important Risk Information
1:54 Introduction
0:45 Chapter 1 Let's Begin
1:18 Chapter 2 Prepare Your Syringe
1:31 Chapter 3 Prepare Your Serostim®
0:52 Chapter 4 Change The Needle
1:21 Chapter 5 Injection
1:06 Chapter 6 Clean Up

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cool.click® 2 Instructions

cool.click® 2 is a needle-free device for mixing and injecting Serostim®. Healthcare professionals or nurses must teach patients how to use cool.click® 2 correctly.

What is Needed for cool.click® 2 Injection

  • cool.click® 2 device
  • The Serostim® vial and diluents for injection vial
  • Nozzle and piston set
  • Alcohol swabs
  • Sterile gauze pad or cotton ball
  • Reconstruction kit

If you have questions about cool.click® 2, call the AXIS Center at 1-877-714-AXIS (2947).

cool.click® 2 Instructions
Total Time: 9:31

0:49 Important Risk Information
2:13 Introduction
1:46 Chapter 1 Loading Serostim®
1:23 Chapter 2 Preparing cool.click®2
1:13 Chapter 3 Injection
0:55 Chapter 4 Changing Nozzle & Piston
1:12 Chapter 5 Setting Dose Scale

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Online Resources

Assistance Programs
AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (States)
www.atdn.org/access/index.html

Disease Information
AIDS InfoNet
www.aidsinfonet.org

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org

American Dietetic Association
www.eatright.org

American Diabetes Association
www.diabetes.org

American Heart Association
www.heart.org

American Liver Foundation
www.liverfoundation.org

American Lung Association
www.lungsusa.org

Hepatitis B Foundation
www.hepb.org

HIV and Hepatitis
www.hivandhepatitis.com

The Body
www.thebody.com

Medication Information
AIDS Meds.com
www.aidsmeds.com

Organizations
Association of Nutrition Service Agencies (ANSA)
www.ansanutrition.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/hiv

Food and Nutrition Information Center
http://fnic.nal.usda.gov

Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC)
www.gmhc.org

Infectious Disease Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association
www.idndpg.org

National AIDS Hotline
1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)

National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA)
www.napwa.org
1-240-247-0880

National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
www.ods.od.nih.gov

Nutrition.gov
www.nutrition.gov

Project Inform
www.projectinform.org

Social Networking
POZ
www.poz.com

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
www.aids.gov
www.health.gov
www.hrsa.gov

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Access the full prescribing information.


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Important Risk Information and Indication Toggle Button

Important Risk Information

Serostim® [somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection] should not be used in patients with active malignancy, diabetic retinopathy, known hypersensitivity to somatropin or diluent, or hospitalized for acute critical illness.1

Impaired glucose tolerance, new and exacerbation of diabetes mellitus and rare cases of pancreatitis have been reported. Glucose intolerance requiring initiation or adjustment of antidiabetic treatment has persisted following treatment discontinuation. Patients with risk factors for glucose intolerance should be monitored closely during Serostim® therapy.1

The most common adverse reactions associated with Serostim® use were musculoskeletal discomfort (pain, swelling and/or stiffness) and increased tissue turgor (swelling, particularly in the hands and feet). Symptoms were dose-related and generally mild-to-moderate in severity, and often subsided with continued treatment, analgesic therapy, or dose reduction. If persistent tissue turgor occurs, treatment discontinuation is recommended.1

Alternate-day treatment is associated with fewer side effects and resulted in a similar improvement in work output and should be considered in patients at increased risk of adverse events.2

Hyperglycemia may occur in HIV-infected individuals for a variety of reasons and has also been reported in Serostim® clinical trials. Patients with a history of hyperglycemia or other risk factors for glucose intolerance should be monitored closely during Serostim® use. Glucose complications include exacerbation of pre-existing diabetes mellitus, new-onset impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.1

  1. Serostim® [somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection] Prescribing Information. Rockland, MA: EMD Serono; 2007.
  2. Moyle GJ, Daar ES, Gertner JM, et al. Growth hormone improves lean body mass, physical performance, and quality of life in subjects with HIV-associated weight loss or wasting on highly active antiretroviral therapy. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2004;35:367-375.

Indication

Serostim® [somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection] is indicated for the treatment of HIV patients with wasting or cachexia to increase lean body mass and body weight, and improve physical endurance. Concomitant antiretroviral therapy is necessary.

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