S1, E3 - The Flaws in Fail First Therapy

In this episode, we look at the major flaws in fail first, or step therapy, which mandates that a patient must fail on one or more less expensive drugs before “stepping up” to another drug. 

"Anything that we do from a policy perspective, and this is the mantra of Global; Healthy Living Foundation, policies, legislations, anything that passes, the patient has to directly benefit from them,“ says Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at the Global Healthy Living Foundation.

Among the highlights in this episode: 

1:46 - What is step therapy and why it's harmful to patients

3:03 - How the bottomline impacts treatment decisions and overall health outcomes 

4:06- How step therapy can set patients back on their treatment 

5:30 - Is there a better adherence to their drug treatment plan? 

6:31- What is being done about this legislatively?   

8:29 - An explanation of "Safe Step Act"

9:40 - Robert discusses his latest op-ed about how insurers should also take the oath healthcare professionals are required to take

10:58 - Conner and Robert's takeaways from this episode

Contact our hosts: 

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF, rpopovian@ghlf.org 

Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF, cmertens@ghlf.org 

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