A cancer diagnosis may be stressful and overwhelming. While fake medicines may come as an additional worry, your healthcare team works in your best interest to ensure you receive effective medicines to support your recovery.
Patients should also take additional steps to protect themselves, especially as this issue emerges in places that have previously not been affected. Understanding your treatment, asking the right questions, and openly communicating with your healthcare providers are simple steps you can take to protect yourself and reduce any anxiety associated with your treatment.
Will you have trouble affording your medicine immediately or in the long-term? Instead of trying to find an online pharmacy that sells your medicine at a cheaper price, raise your concerns with your healthcare provider. They may be able to prescribe you a generic alternative that is cheaper, or connect you with financial aid, including resources like: NeedyMeds, RxOutreach, Medicine Assistance Tool, Pfizer RxPathways
A good practice to ensure the legitimacy of your medicine, especially if you have purchased from an online pharmacy, is to ask your healthcare provider for a sample that can be used for visual comparison.
It is your right as a patient to understand your treatment plan and have your healthcare provider explain it to you comprehensively. Ask:
- How will I know that the treatment is working?
- Are there side effects? When will they occur and for how long?
- Who can I contact between appointments if I have concerns about my medicine?
It is important to speak up if you are unclear about anything. To test your comprehension, repeat your understanding of the treatment plan to your healthcare provider to ensure you are understanding everything correctly. Cancer treatment is complicated and it is okay to have many questions — your healthcare team is responsible for answering them.
A cancer diagnosis may be stressful and overwhelming. While fake medicines may come as an additional worry, your healthcare team works in your best interest to ensure you receive effective medicines to support your recovery.
Patients should also take additional steps to protect themselves, especially as this issue emerges in places that have previously not been affected. Understanding your treatment, asking the right questions, and openly communicating with your healthcare providers are simple steps you can take to protect yourself and reduce any anxiety associated with your treatment.
1. Raise any financial concerns about your prescribed medicine with your healthcare provider.
Will you have trouble affording your medicine immediately or in the long-term? Instead of trying to find an online pharmacy that sells your medicine at a cheaper price, raise your concerns with your healthcare provider. They may be able to prescribe you a generic alternative that is cheaper, or connect you with financial aid, including resources like: NeedyMeds, RxOutreach, Medicine Assistance Tool, Pfizer RxPathways
2. Ask for a sample of your prescribed medicine, especially if you are planning on using an online pharmacy.
A good practice to ensure the legitimacy of your medicine, especially if you have purchased from an online pharmacy, is to ask your healthcare provider for a sample that can be used for visual comparison.
3. Understand your treatment plan well.
It is your right as a patient to understand your treatment plan and have your healthcare provider explain it to you comprehensively. Ask:
- How will I know that the treatment is working?
- Are there side effects? When will they occur and for how long?
- Who can I contact between appointments if I have concerns about my medicine?
It is important to speak up if you are unclear about anything. To test your comprehension, repeat your understanding of the treatment plan to your healthcare provider to ensure yo