HelpEase Clozapine REMS Now
Ease Clozapine REMS Now
Clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic for treatment resistant schizophrenia.
Clozapine saves lives — it reduces suicide risk and enables individuals to lead healthier, fulfilling lives.
There is a great deal of misunderstanding around clozapine’s benefits and risks. Clozapine must be managed carefully, however, clozapine REMS restrictions are making the medication almost impossible to use. Patients are required weekly blood tests and are limited to 7-day supplies. These restrictions are unheard of for any long-term chronic illness, like cancer or diabetes.
We deserve greater access to this life-saving medication.
Act Now!
- Urge the FDA to ease clozapine REMS. Contact the FDA using the email template and phone script below. Feel free to add your personal story. Email druginfo@fda.hhs.gov, or call: 1-855-543-3784 / 301-796-3400.
- Educate your provider. If clozapine has not been presented as an option to you or your loved one, raise it with your provider and refer them to resources, such as SMIAdviser.
- Share your story. We are stronger together. To remove these barriers, we must demonstrate the hardship our loved ones have experienced due to arbitrary regulations. Report the problems you’ve been experiencing with advocacy group The Angry Moms.
- Advocate with us! Add your email address to our list. We’ll send you the latest updates, actions, and events to improve access to mental health care for people with SMI and their families, including NAMI-NYC’s annual schizophrenia research event with Mt. Sinai School of Medicine.
- Learn more about schizophrenia, treatment, and advocacy efforts.
Email Prompt:
Subject: Reopen Comment on Clozapine REMS Restrictions
To the FDA team,
I’m urging you to reopen comment on the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for clozapine. As you are well aware, clozapine is the gold standard for treatment-resistant schizophrenia over all other anti-psychotic medications. However, the current REMS restrictions pose significant barriers to accessing this life-saving medication for many patients.
Clozapine literally saves lives – it reduces suicide risk by 70-80% and helps people with TRS lead healthy, fulfilling lives. Clozapine REMS creates such tremendous hardship with weekly blood tests and the 7-day prescription limit. REMS is disrupting clozapine medication and causing harm.
People are not denied chemotherapy when they have cancer or insulin when they have diabetes. Why are people with TRS denied the only medication that can save their lives?
Thank you for your consideration.
Phone Script:
- I’m calling to express the urgent need to ease clozapine REMS.
- These restrictions are misguided and harmful, blocking access to care and interrupting medication.
- The longer we wait to treat schizophrenia, the window for recovery closes. This is unacceptable.
- Please consider changing this unfair requirement.
Resources
Meaningful Recovery from Schizophrenia and Serious Mental Illness with Clozapine
Clozapine Rights
If you have difficulty getting your clozapine prescription filled, call the clozapine REMS immediately 1-888-586-0758. They will assist you and your pharmacy with troubleshooting.
Team Daniel Running for Recovery from Mental Illness
Information for providers and families including the Laitman Protocol for Optimal Use of Clozapine
Team Daniel Running for Recovery from Mental Illness and the Clozapine Community
Weekly Zoom Meetings on Saturday. A virtual hug is better than no hug! We offer free support and guidance for families and providers around the world. Email rslaitman@aol.com to join Zoom. Contact us if you need further assistance: teamdanielrunningforrecovery@gmail.com