ASH Offers Insight on Impact of Chemotherapy-Related Anemia Treatments on Clinicians and Patients

ASH addresses senators and congressional representatives at a Hill briefing on the use of ESAs

Washington, DC, October 23, 2007 – Today, at a briefing for health staff on Capitol Hill, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) are presenting joint updated guidelines on erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), drugs used to stimulate red blood cell production. These drugs are commonly used in patients with chemotherapy-related anemia.

ASH has taken a leadership position on the ESA debate. The updated ESAs guideline released yesterday includes a different interpretation of the evidence than CMS. One key difference is that ASH recommends that patients with hemoglobin levels between 10 and12 g/dL continue to be treated, while lowering the dosage when the hemoglobin rises above 11 g/dL. The CMS policy restricts treatment once the hemoglobin is at 10 g/dL. ASH has urged CMS to reopen and revise its coverage policy.

"ASH believes the Medicare coverage policy reflects a misinterpretation of scientific evidence, and unfairly restricts the ability of doctors to properly treat their patients," said Samuel Silver, MD, PhD, ASH Executive Committee Councillor, Chair, ASH Subcommittee on Reimbursement, and Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. "ASH has sent the updated guidelines to CMS in the hopes that it will reevaluate the contentious part of the coverage policy."

The policy continues to be controversial and has prompted letters from 235 congressman and 52 senators, in addition to 2,600 comments on the ruling. ASH hopes that the guideline update will prompt CMS to take action without having a congressional mandate.

At today’s briefing, Samuel Silver, MD, PhD, University of Michigan Health System, ASH; J. Douglas Rizzo, MD, ASH Co-chair, Guidelines Panel and Associate Professor of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin; and Joseph Bailes, MD, ASCO Government Relations Council, discuss the effects of CMS’s national coverage decision on patients and clinicians.

The updated ESA guideline is posted as a First Edition paper on the Web site of ASH’s scientific journal, Blood (www.bloodjournal.org), as well as on ASCO’s Journal of Clinical Oncology (www.jco.org) site. In addition, the recommendations will be published in print in both journals on December 1.

Reporter inquires may be directed to Laura Stark, ASH Communications Specialist, at lstark@hematology.org or 202-776-0544.

The American Society of Hematology (www.hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders. Its mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems, by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology, is the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field. Blood is issued to Society members and other subscribers twice per month, available in print and online at www.bloodjournal.org.

Back to Press Release Listing