Health needs and challenges

The past decade has seen major public health gains and scientific breakthroughs in the discovery of new medicines, but across the world, many people still lack access to the treatment and medicines they need, especially for very severe diseases including many forms of cancers and other NCDs. Hard to diagnose, treat and manage, NCDs also have significant affordability barriers and the treatment can be lifelong.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a disease with a significant impact on individuals’ ability to be productive and has a corresponding impact on family life – this is particularly the case with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease which significantly impact patients’ day to day lives.

How the program and partnership activity is addressing the needs and challenges

Our Patient Assistance Program (PAP) for Entyvio was also launched in 2017, to address affordability barriers for patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Through an independent delivery partner, Axios International, we have adopted an independent and confidential means-based assessment tool to assess patients’ ability to contribute to their medication costs, and then determine the appropriate individual payment scheme for each patient.

This ensures patients pay only what they can afford, and are able to complete their entire course of treatment even if they cannot pay for it in full. Through our delivery partner, we also provide personalized support including ongoing follow-up from program staff to ensure adherence to their treatment plan and their physician’s recommendations – improving the quality of care and efficacy of the treatment.

Takeda’s PAPs are sustainable so our innovative medicines reach as many patients as possible, and are tailored to each country to address a country’s economic context and local healthcare provisions. They use different collaborative models where patients, Takeda, and at times local authorities, foundations, medical associations, charities and other parties, share the cost of treatment. In select cases for patients with no ability to pay, we explore routes for them to access medicines included in our PAPs, through additional financial support from local medical societies, charities, and NGOs.