In mid-November, The Assistance Fund (TAF) announced that they were beginning a copay assistance program for those with acromegaly. For nearly 11 years, TAF has worked to assist patients and their families with out-of-pocket medical costs. In fact, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization speaks to around 50,000 patients each year! Altogether, TAF has funded 125,000 patients with rare and serious conditions. Now, TAF’s copay assistance program seeks to assist those with acromegaly with coinsurance, deductibles, copays, and other related expenses.
Outside of the new copay program, TAF has over 70 other disease-specific programs to assist patients. If you believe that you could benefit from the new copay assistance program, and want to learn more about eligibility or financial support, you can head to the website or speak to a member of the TAF team at 855-688-0304.
Acromegaly
An estimated 60 out of every million people live with acromegaly, a hormonal disorder caused by excess growth hormone (GH). Normally, GH is produced by the pituitary gland. However, when too much GH is produced, it leads to abnormal growth. It is important to remember that acromegaly is not the same as gigantism. While similar, gigantism typically occurs in children, while acromegaly develops in adults. While growth plates have not yet closed in children, causing extreme height, the growth plates are fused in adults. With acromegaly, many patients often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for a length of time before finally receiving an accurate diagnosis.
Oftentimes, symptoms develop slowly. These symptoms include:
- Organ enlargement
- Abnormal growth starting in the hands and feet
- An enlarged nasal bone
- A protruding brow and lower jaw
- Course, oily skin prone to excessive sweating
- Joint pain
- Enlarged nose, lips, tongue, or vocal cords
Without early treatment, some complications can develop. These include:
- Diabetes
- Vision loss
- Arthritis
- Sleep apnea
- High blood pressure
- Colon polyps
Thus, being able to diagnose and treat those with acromegaly as quickly as possible is important.
Learn more about acromegaly here.
