The University's Medical Center will receive a free supply of the drug Taxol as a result of a recent legal settlement, according to the Hampton Roads Daily Press.
States involved in the lawsuit claimed Bristol-Myers Squibb tried to keep the generic form of Taxol from reaching the market. As a result, Bristol-Myers Squibb must distribute vials of Taxol to medical centers around the country.
Taxol, or paciltaxel, is a chemotherapy drug used mostly in the treatment of ovarian and breast cancer, according to the University Health System Web site. It costs between $6,000 and $10,000 per patient for a standard course treatment.
In addition to receiving the vials of Taxol, the University Medical Center will receive compensation from Bristol-Myers Squibb for being overcharged for Taxol in the past. Around the country, $12 million will be spent reimbursing patients who overpaid for the drug, according to the Daily Press.
To qualify for the free Taxol, patients cannot have primary insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, and they must fall under a certain household income level.
According to the University Medical Center Web site, Taxol is a somewhat controversial drug because the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute have both said the risks involving Taxol outweigh the benefits.
--Compiled by Johanna Cluver
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