Department of Neurology

Patient assistance programs for obtaining anti-seizure medications

Q: Dear Doctor:

I suffer with seizures and presently can not afford to buy tegretol. My prescription is for 2 - 200mg. tablets, taken 3 times a day. I have been without my medication for about a week and not feeling well. My insurance, which had a five dollar prescription plan, expired due to non-payment.

I am a classical pianist struggling to market compact discs so I can achieve indepedence.

A: Pricing of medications is a complex issue. A certain amount of financial incentive is necessary for pharmaceutical companies to continue to develop new and better seizure medications, especially since the cost to develop new therapies is so tremendous. Nonetheless, many patients have difficulties affording medications, especially when several are needed to control their seizures. Novartis, the makers of Tegretol, has a patient assistance plan to provide medications for persons with with low income. They will require you to fill out forms and obtain approval from your physician.

You may reach them at:

Novartis Patient Assistance Program
PO Box 52052
Phoenix, AZ 85072-9170
800-257-3273

For other medications, the following phone numbers are provided:

Depakote

Abbott Products Division
Abbott Laboratories
200 Abbott Park Rd.
Abbott Park, IL 60064-3537
800-950-6885

Lamictal

Glaxo Wellcome
Patient Assistance Program
PO box 52185
Phoenix, AZ 85072-9711
800-722-9294

Topamax

Ortho-McNeil
Patient Assistance Program
1800 Robert Fulton Dr., 3rd fl.
Reston, VA 20191
800-797-7737

Dilantin, Neurontin

Parke-Davis
Patient Assistance Program
PO Box 1053
Somerville, NJ 08876
908-725-1247

Felbatol

Wallace Laboratories
Patient Assistance Program
PO Box 1001
Cranbury, NJ 08512
800-678-4657

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