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Janssen CarePath can:

  • Review your health plan benefits to help answer questions you may have about insurance coverage for VELETRI®
  • Identify options that may help make VELETRI® more affordable, if needed
  • Identify and coordinate with a specialty pharmacy to arrange shipment of your Janssen medication

Getting Started with VELETRI®

VELETRI® is delivered by a specialty pharmacy—it's not something that's kept in stock at your local retail pharmacy. The following is a typical process when starting out with VELETRI®, though your experience may vary.

  1. PrescriptionPrescription

    Your doctor selects VELETRI® as your new treatment.

    • Your healthcare team completes all the forms necessary to start you on the Janssen medicine

  2. Insurance VerificationInsurance verification

    The insurance company may ask your healthcare provider for additional information before they pay for your medicine.

    • The specialty pharmacy will contact you or your healthcare team if they need more information

  3. First TreatmentFirst treatment

    Your healthcare team will start your first treatment in a hospital.

  4. Delivery of MedicineDelivery of medicine

    VELETRI® is shipped to you by a specialty pharmacy.

    • A Janssen CarePath Care Coordinator will help you connect with a specialty pharmacy that delivers VELETRI® in your area
    • Each month, the specialty pharmacy will call you to confirm details of the delivery and arrange your refill.
    • The shipment is usually quick, but the process leading up to your first delivery could take more than 2 weeks
    • Before shipping, the specialty pharmacy will call you to confirm some details, including the shipment date. Be sure to answer, or call the specialty pharmacy back if they leave a message

    Remember, the call from your specialty pharmacy may come from a phone number that you don't know. If you miss the call, it's important that you call back.

  5. RefillsRefills

    Once your doctor verifies your prescription, the specialty pharmacy will ship your refill.

Working With a Specialty Pharmacy

We understand that it is important for you to get your medicine in a timely manner. After you enroll with Janssen CarePath, you will get a call to walk you through the process and discuss medicine delivery. Here are the basic steps you will need to take to fill your VELETRI® prescription.

Steps of the specialty pharmacy process

  • Learn about specialty pharmacies.
    Certain medicines, such as VELETRI®, aren't kept at your local retail pharmacy. Instead, a specialty pharmacy will ship VELETRI® directly to your home.
  • Schedule the delivery.
    The specialty pharmacy will call you before shipping the medicine to make sure you will be at home when it arrives.
  • Check in monthly.
    Each month, the specialty pharmacy will call you to confirm details of the delivery and arrange your refill.

NOTE: The specialty pharmacy may not ship your medicine if they don't speak with you first. Be sure to answer when they call and call them back if they leave a message.

If your health plan does not approve VELETRI® treatment

Sometimes you may not be able to obtain the medication that your doctor has ordered for you. For example, your health plan might not cover the medication because it is not on the plan’s drug list (formulary) or the cost is higher than you think you should have to pay. In these situations, you and your doctor have the right to ask the health plan to explain its decision and to consider making the medication available to you as an exception to its policies.

Support Resources

  • Patient education and tools, including internet resources

Need Help? Call a Janssen CarePath Care Coordinator at 866-228-3546, Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET. Multilingual phone support is available.

Connecting with others in your community

Resources are available online that can offer support and help you connect with others who are living with your condition. These include local support groups, fundraising walks, outreach programs, online communities, and volunteer opportunities. The websites below can help you learn more about your condition and connect with others.

VELETRI® Website
VELETRI.com
This website contains information about treatment with VELETRI®. On this website, you can also get helpful information about your condition.

Pulmonary Hypertension Association
phassociation.org
The Pulmonary Hypertension Association is dedicated to increasing awareness and advocacy by providing information about PAH to both physicians and patients.

Scleroderma Foundation
www.scleroderma.org
The Scleroderma Foundation offers a site for scleroderma patients, caregivers, and family members—dedicated to support, education, and research.

Questions? 866-228-3546

Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–8:00 PM ET

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
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What is VELETRI®?

VELETRI® is a prescription medicine that is given intravenously (in a vein). It is used to treat adults with certain kinds of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (WHO Group 1), a condition in which blood pressure is too high in the blood vessels between the heart and the lungs. VELETRI® may improve your ability to exercise as measured by how far you can walk in 6 minutes (6-minute walk test).

Studies showing VELETRI® is effective included mainly patients with NYHA Functional Class III-IV PAH. In these patients, PAH was caused by unidentified or hereditary factors or connective tissue disease.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Who should not take VELETRI®?

VELETRI® should not be used if you have heart failure due to severe left heart disease, if you develop fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) when starting therapy, or if you are allergic to epoprostenol.

Some medications may interact with VELETRI®. Please talk to your doctor about all of your medications.

What is the most important information I should know about?

It is important to use VELETRI® as directed by your doctor. VELETRI® should be used only with Sterile Water for Injection, USP, or Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection, USP. Do not mix VELETRI® with other intravenous medications. Each vial is for single use only; discard any unused medication. Use at room temperature (77°F/25°C). Do not expose VELETRI® to direct sunlight.

When you take epoprostenol for the first time, you must be in a setting (hospital or clinic) where you can be monitored for any serious side effects or in case of emergency. Your blood pressure and heart rate should also be monitored with any dose changes. If you are taking VELETRI®, your doctor may prescribe another kind of medicine used to prevent blood clots. It is the use of these medications concomitantly (in combination) with VELETRI® that may potentially cause an increase in the risk of bleeding.

Sudden and dramatic changes in dose may lead to unstable blood pressure, a return of pulmonary hypertension symptoms, or fatal low blood pressure (hypotension). Do not stop using VELETRI® without first talking to your doctor.

To reduce the risk of infection in the bloodstream, it is important to know how to properly care for the catheter and infusion pump.

What are the possible side effects of VELETRI®?

You may have side effects at the start of treatment or with dose increases. The most common side effects seen in at least 1% of patients were:

  • flushing
  • headache
  • nausea/vomiting
  • low blood pressure
  • anxiety/nervousness
  • chest pain
  • dizziness
  • slow heartbeat
  • abdominal pain
  • pain in the muscles and/or ligaments and bones
  • shortness of breath
  • back pain
  • sweating
  • upset stomach
  • numbness/increased sensitivity
  • fast heartbeat

The most common side effects in patients with PAH due to unidentified or hereditary factors with at least 10% difference between the group that received epoprostenol and the group that received conventional therapy alone were:

  • flu-like symptoms
  • fast heartbeat
  • flushing
  • diarrhea
  • nausea/vomiting
  • jaw pain
  • pain in the muscles and/or ligaments and bones
  • anxiety/nervousness
  • dizziness
  • headache
  • numbness/increased sensitivity/tingling

The most common side effects in patients with PAH due to connective tissue disease with at least 10% difference between the group that received epoprostenol and the group that received conventional therapy alone were:

  • flushing
  • low blood pressure
  • lack of appetite
  • nausea/vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • jaw pain
  • neck/joint pain
  • headache
  • skin ulcer
  • rash

Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of VELETRI®. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information for VELETRI® and discuss any questions you have with your doctor.

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