Patient Advocate Foundation Announces New Patient Hotline Providing Assistance to Cancer Patients Experiencing Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV)

News provided by

Jun 11, 2010, 10:09 ET

Nausea and Vomiting Present Obstacles to Patients' Life-Saving Chemotherapy Maintenance; CareLine Program Provides Direct Assistance to Patients Experiencing Side Effects of Chemotherapy, Seeking Access to Anti-Nausea Care

WASHINGTON, June 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) – a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability relative to their diagnosis of life threatening or debilitating diseases – is pleased to announce that it has launched a new program, the CINV (Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting) CareLine. The CareLine is a toll-free hotline, 877-614-9242, designed to provide individualized case management assistance to patients diagnosed with cancer and experiencing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

"Patient Advocate Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life of patients facing medical hardships through our professional case management and CareLine services. We are excited to launch the CINV CareLine, which will allow us to assist a larger number of cancer patients across the nation that are seeking education about advancements in anti-nausea medications and access to this important care," said Nancy Davenport-Ennis, Founder and CEO of PAF. "A cancer diagnosis can be the most overwhelming experience a person may ever face in his or her lifetime. Coupled with the side effects of treatment, the journey can be worrisome and uncomfortable, so we are pleased to provide this additional assistance to help improve patients' quality of life."

Approximately eight out of every ten people treated with chemotherapy experience nausea and vomiting, two frequent side effects that tend to cause substantial worry for patients. Termed Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting, or CINV, the condition can negatively affect a patient's quality of life, making it hard to function normally from day to day. Because of their often debilitating nausea and vomiting side effects, many patients consider stopping chemotherapy treatment completely.

Along with improvements in chemotherapy, much advancement has been made in the medications that are available today to control nausea and vomiting. When these medicines are used correctly, nausea and vomiting can be prevented in the majority of people. In fact, many nurses and doctors have adopted a zero tolerance approach to chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting through the use of such medications.

The CINV CareLine is staffed by a team of clinical case managers with both nursing and social work background who provide individualized service to patients, their caregivers and providers who are seeking information and/or assistance with the following:

Navigation and assistance through the reimbursement system, including initial interpretation of the patient's benefit language
Direct appeals assistance
Educational resources, including disease specific literature, managed care information and financial resource information
Referrals and linkage to appropriate educational resources
Clinical trials education and clinical trials screening
Connection to all known local, state and/or national resources for financial assistance
Case management services to uninsured patients, ensuring access to care and enrollment into Medicaid and/or charity care programs, when appropriate

Patient Advocate Foundation and its companion organization, the National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF), were founded on the principle that health care is a basic human need and shared social responsibility. Annually, PAF receives thousands of contacts requesting information and assistance via their toll-free hotline as well as online, with complete direct, sustained case management services provided to patients from all fifty states free of charge. For more information about PAF, visit www.patientadvocate.org or call toll free (800) 532-5274. For more information about PAF's CINV CareLine, visit http://cinv.patientadvocate.org or call (877) 614-9242.

The CINV CareLine is made possible through the generous support of ProStrakan. ProStrakan is one of Europe's fastest growing pharmaceutical companies with U.S. headquarters in Bedminster, New Jersey. Our primary inspiration is developing innovative medicines to improve the lives of patients, with a focus on treating unmet needs.

SOURCE Patient Advocate Foundation