Epilepsy Patient Protection Bill in WI

[tinasmom]

Wednesday night I was asked to testify in favor of the Epilepsy Patient Protection Bill at the capitol on Thursday. This bill will not allow pharmacists to change prescriptions from brand to generic or generic to another generic without the permission of the doctor and patient. I met a man who recently lost his 15 year old son to a seizure. He spoke a few people ahead of me and left everyone speechless. I really don't think they were ready for another Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy story when I got up there. One represenative was very critical of all testomonies in favor of. After I left the hearing room, she came out to tell me why she was so critical of this bill. Although I don't think she will change her mind regarding this bill, I think I really pulled at her heart.

[Cint]

Good for you, Laura! I think you would pull at many hearts by telling your story.
I wonder what that representative was thinking and what would her reaction be if it had been her child or loved one?

[Nakamova]

There are situations (non-epilepsy) where the generic is just as effective, and any resistance to prescribing it comes from the drug companies who don't want to lose the exorbitant profits from their patented brand. BUT epilepsy is a very real and very serious exception, one that a lot of well-meaning people are completely ignorant of. Good on you for testifying and getting the word out! When does the bill go to a vote?

[tinathesingergirl]

Oh that's very good Clint! Glad to hear of that! I have a very bad reaction to some forms of fillers in generic drugs so I have to be careful of certain brands or i get a very bad skin reaction. When I broke my leg 4 years ago they put my on a generic oxycodone that i was not only had skin allergies to but it did not touch the pain either! So they then put me on generic percoset which i also had a skin reaction to so they had to make it medically neccessary for me to be put on the "real" percoset for the pain. It was a really bad break I had broken my ankle in 4 places and dislocated it. It required 2 diffrent surguries 4 screws and I now have a rod in my tibia bone that is there permenantly. I could not walk for 6 months and I was in PT for 9 months. Thankfully it all happened at work so I was not in charge of any of the costs thank goodness for workers comp! Well I digress....Glad to hear that you were able to testify at that hearing. Hopefully some good legislation will come of it and more states will adopt similar policies and we will begin to see some legislation on some of ballots.

Tina