Advocates, Clinicians Urge CVS Caremark to Reverse Dangerous Formulary Change
The move would force stable patients to switch medications, a practice known as non-medical switching , and increase their risk of stroke and death.
- The move would force stable patients to switch medications, a practice known as non-medical switching , and increase their risk of stroke and death.
- The medications require careful, personalized management, and indiscriminate switching can cause severe side effects and lead patients to discontinue treatment altogether.
- Studies about the discontinuation of these drugs have shown that:
This new formulary change will be dangerously disruptive for patients who rely upon a previously covered direct oral anticoagulant to manage their cardiovascular risk. - STATEMENT FROM DHARMESH PATEL, MD, STERN CARDIOVASCULAR CENTER, MEMPHIS TENNESSEE AND PRESIDENT, PARTNERSHIP TO ADVANCE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH:
"The removal of these critical therapies from CVS Caremark's formulary is putting lives at risk.