What Is Humira?
Humira, the popular trade name for the drug Adalimumab, is a next-generation pharmaceutical. It is indicated in the treatment of rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, chronic psoriasis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis, among others. All of these conditions and diseases have one thing in common- they are autoimmune in nature. Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system- the body’s defender against invaders- attacks itself instead. This happens for a wide range of reasons, and many of these mechanisms are still not understood.
How Does Humira Work?
Different autoimmune diseases develop based on where the immune system is focusing its unprovoked onslaught. Psoriasis results from a reaction to skin cells, while rheumatoid arthritis will develop when the site of attack includes joints and associated tissues. One of the driving components of the immune system, whether the response is warranted or not, is a signaling protein known as tumor necrosis factor alpha, or TNF-α. It is so named because a large part its function includes the inhibition of tumor growth, though it is involved in a very wide range of inflammatory processes in the human body.
TNF-α is relevant because it is the target of Humira; the cutting-edge pharmaceutical specifically focuses on targeting, binding to, and thereby inactivating TNF-α. This can have an overall effect of reducing excess inflammation, but in autoimmune diseases the reduction of active TNF-α in the system can lead to drastic relief in symptoms.
How Much Does Humira Cost?
Generally, Humira needs to be injected every other week in order to be effective. A supply of two Humira subcutaneous kits, a months’ worth, costs between $5,000 and $7,000, depending on the pharmacy. It is prohibitively expensive, especially for middle-class and low-income families or individuals. The good news is that if you cannot afford the cost of your prescription Humira, help is out there.
Humira Prescription Assistance
This new and effective drug is helping improve the quality of so many lives. People living with chronic autoimmune conditions who may benefit from it need not be discouraged by the drug’s market price, because there are prescription assistance programs to offset Humira costs. This is where Rx Assistance Programs comes in: we believe that the uninsured and under-insured should not be denied access to affordable prescription medication.
Programs known as patient assistance programs allow us to work with your doctor(s) to get the medications that work for you at a price that works for you.
Without health insurance, costs can be unaffordable for the medications you need most, especially when they are relatively new to the market, as Humira is. We work with patient assistance programs and drug manufacturers to help you obtain the medication you need.
If you have any questions about our service, or if you would like to see if you qualify, visit our ‘contact’ page or give us a call at 1-(855)-201-0232. Happy New Year from all of us at Rx Assistance Programs!