February 23, 2017

Patient Access Network Foundation and MPN Advocacy and Education International announce new alliance to provide support for people living with myeloproliferative neoplasms

For immediate release

PAN Foundation contact:

Margaret Figley, Director of Communications

Washington, DC, (February 23, 2017) – The Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation and MPN Advocacy and Education International today announced they are launching a new alliance to offer a broad range of support for people living with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Working together, the PAN Foundation and MPN Advocacy and Education International will ensure that people living with MPNs have access to both financial assistance and patient support services, providing them with the holistic support to best manage their disease.

“At PAN, we are committed to decreasing some of the financial burden that patients and families face with diseases like myeloproliferative neoplasms,” said PAN President and CEO Dan Klein. “But we know that financial concerns are just part of the challenge. In working with MPN Advocacy and Education International, we can connect patients to additional services like educational symposiums, free webcasts, collateral materials and more.”

According to MPN Advocacy and Education International, myeloproliferative neoplasms are a group of rare blood cancers in which the bone marrow becomes overactive, causing the cells to develop and function abnormally. There are three main MPNs: myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia.

“We are excited to launch this alliance with the PAN Foundation, and provide another layer of support for our patients and families,” said MPN Advocacy and Education International CEO Ann Brazeau. “Because MPNs are rare, receiving an MPN diagnosis is particularly stressful. We aim to support the MPN community in any way we can, and by working with PAN we can help remove cost barriers for many patients, allowing them to focus on their health.”

Patients who qualify for the PAN Foundation’s MPN program are eligible to receive up to $12,000 per year in financial assistance. Eligible patients must be getting treatment for MPN; must reside and receive treatment in the United States; must have health insurance; and the medication for which they seek assistance must be covered by their health insurance and must treat the disease directly. In addition, patients must fall at or below 500 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

Patients, or advocates and caregivers applying on their behalf, can apply for assistance using the PAN Foundation’s online patient portal (www.panapply.org), or by calling 1-866-316-7263, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. To learn more about PAN’s more than 50 disease-specific programs, visit panfoundation.org.

About the PAN Foundation:

The PAN Foundation is an independent, nationwide 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing help and hope to underinsured patients who are unable to afford the out-of-pocket expenses for their prescribed medications. Since 2004, PAN has provided over $2.5 billion in financial assistance to more than 700,000 patients who would otherwise be unable to afford their medications. To learn more, visit www.panfoundation.org.

About MPN Advocacy and Education International:

MPN Advocacy and Education International is dedicated to providing the knowledge, support and resources patients will need as they adjust to living with an MPN through educational symposia in several cities each year, website access, free webcasts of each program, collateral materials and direction to people, resources and other organizations that can help.