Diagnosed in her late twenties with incurable stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Helen, now 41 and a wife and mother of two in Florida, knows she can rely on biosimilars to help when needed, so she can live her life to the fullest.
After years of trial and error with several different treatment options that left her feeling debilitated, Helen found balance with biosimilars — safe, effective alternatives to brand-name biologics. These life-changing treatment options undergo rigorous FDA testing, review and safety monitoring, allowing patients like Helen access to cutting-edge medicines.
Helen’s biosimilar helped regenerate her white blood cell count, which is a sign of a strong immune system. She is now able to take her family to the beach and amusement parks again, or just go for long nightly walks.
In her own words, After just two treatments of the biosimilar I started to feel like me again. I was able to go back to work and my most important roles as a mother and wife. Taking a biosimilar is easy, I just go to the doctor’s, get a shot and leave. I didn’t have any major side effects. After everything I have been through it’s wonderful. Because I have a non-curable form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that lays dormant but will always continue to come back, I know my medication journey will be lifelong. It is nice to know that when I need a biosimilar again, it will be there for me.
For Helen, this is a lifelong battle, but thanks to biosimilars, she can get back to living her life to the fullest and be there for her family.
Related Resources
- [Infographic] Alternative to Biologic Medicines
- [Videos] AAM Patient Stories
- [Blog] Advocacy for Patient Access to Biosimilars
FDA-approved biosimilars have the potential to provide 1.2 million patients access to treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, cancer and other chronic conditions, at a lower cost. Over the next ten years, biosimilars could save the entire U.S. health care system $54 billion. Find out more about how biosimilars truly benefit everyone in this infographic from AAM's Biosimilars Council.
Originally published on the Biosimilars Council website.
View Helen and other patient stories in the 2021 Voices of Access report.
By Erica Klinger, Senior Director, Marketing
Published on December 17, 2020