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Financial Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Get answers to common questions about support and resources from Genentech for patients who have been prescribed Avastin.

Finding Support FAQs

Regardless of the type of health insurance your patients have – and even if they don't have any – there may be options available to help them afford Avastin. 

Get details on potential programs.

You can check patient eligibility online. The financial assistance tool will guide the patient through some of their options and let them know which financial support programs may be right for them.

Here are a few things you or your patient may need on hand:

  • Patient information: full name, date of birth, mailing address, email, phone (home and/or mobile) and insurance information
  • Prescribing doctor's information: complete contact information, primary diagnosis code and prescription details
  • Patient's financial eligibility information: number of people in the patient's household (including patient) and annual net household income
Get started

Each program has its own time period in which eligible patients will receive assistance.

Avastin Access Solutions may be able to help patients understand how to get the medicine they need. Avastin Access Solutions can find out:

  • If the health insurance plan covers the Avastin medicine
  • How much the co-pay will be

Even with health insurance, there may be concerns about the cost of treatment. Avastin Access Solutions can refer patients to financial assistance options.

To learn more about potential financial assistance options, visit the Financial Assistance Options page.

Case Managers can help with access, reimbursement, and helping your patient get their prescribed medicine. For more information, please visit the Avastin Case Manager page.

Insurance Coverage FAQs

No matter what type of health insurance your patients have, and even if they have none at all, there may be options available to help afford Avastin. 

Review some of the potential options and get started.

Avastin Access Solutions is your resource for access and reimbursement support after Avastin is prescribed. You can:

No. If the patient's health insurance plan denied coverage for Avastin (after submission of a Prior Authorization, if required), the patient can apply for help from the Genentech Patient Foundation. The patient does not need to send proof of the appeal to get help.

Learn more about the Genentech Patient Foundation, including eligibility criteria and how to apply.

NEXT: Financial Assistance Options

Important Safety Information & Indication

Indication

Ovarian Cancer (OC)

Avastin, in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by Avastin as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with stage III or IV epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer following initial surgical resection.

Avastin, in combination with paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, or topotecan, is indicated for the treatment of patients with platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who received no more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens.

Avastin, in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, or with carboplatin and gemcitabine, followed by Avastin as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer.

Serious adverse reactions (Warnings and Precautions)

  • Serious and sometimes fatal adverse reactions with increased incidence in the Avastin-treated arm vs chemotherapy arm included:
    • Gastrointestinal (GI) perforation ranged from 0.3% to 3% of patients across clinical studies
    • Non-GI fistulae (<1% to 1.8%, highest in patients with cervical cancer)
    • Arterial thromboembolic events (Grade ≥3, 5%, highest in patients with GBM)
    • The incidence of wound healing and surgical complications, including serious and fatal complications, is increased in Avastin-treated patients
    • Hemorrhage (Grade 3–5) ranged from 0.4% to 7% of patients across clinical studies
    • Renal injury and proteinuria
      • Grade 3–4 proteinuria ranged from 0.7% to 7% in clinical studies
      • Nephrotic syndrome (<1%)
  • Additional serious adverse reactions with increased incidence in the Avastin-treated arm vs chemotherapy arm included:
    • Venous thromboembolism (Grade ≥3, 11% seen in GOG-0240)
    • Hypertension (Grade 3–4, 5%–18%)
    • Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) (<0.5%)
    • Congestive heart failure (CHF): Grade ≥3 left ventricular dysfunction (1%)
  • Infusion-related reactions with the first dose of Avastin occurred in <3% of patients, and severe reactions occurred in 0.4% of patients
  • Avoid use in patients with ovarian cancer who have evidence of recto-sigmoid involvement by pelvic examination or bowel involvement on CT scan or clinical symptoms of bowel obstruction
  • Inform females of reproductive potential of the risk of ovarian failure prior to initiating treatment with Avastin
  • An evaluation for the presence of varices is recommended within 6 months of initiation of Avastin in patients with HCC

Pregnancy warning

  • Based on the mechanism of action and animal studies, Avastin may cause fetal harm
  • Advise female patients that Avastin may cause fetal harm, and to inform their healthcare provider of a known or suspected pregnancy
  • Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with Avastin and for 6 months after the last dose of Avastin
  • Advise nursing women not to breastfeed during treatment with Avastin and for 6 months following their last dose of treatment
  • Avastin may impair fertility

Most common adverse reactions

  • Across studies, the most common adverse reactions observed in Avastin patients at a rate >10% were:
    • Epistaxis
    • Headache
    • Hypertension
    • Rhinitis
    • Proteinuria
    • Taste alteration
    • Dry skin
    • Hemorrhage
    • Lacrimation disorder
    • Back pain
    • Exfoliative dermatitis

  • Across all studies, Avastin was discontinued in 8% to 22% of patients because of adverse reactions

Indication-specific adverse reactions

  • In Stage III or IV OC after primary surgery, 608 patients received CP+Avastin→Avastin, 607 patients received CP+Avastin→PBO, and 602 patients received CP+PBO→PBO. Grade 3–4 adverse reactions occurring at a higher incidence (≥2%) in either of the Avastin arms vs the chemotherapy only arm were fatigue (CP+Avastin→Avastin, 9%; CP+Avastin→PBO, 6%; CP+PBO→PBO, 6%), hypertension (CP+Avastin→Avastin, 10%; CP+Avastin→PBO, 6%; CP+PBO→PBO, 2%), platelet count decreased (CP+Avastin→Avastin, 21%; CP+Avastin→PBO, 20%; CP+PBO→PBO, 15%), and white blood cell count decreased (CP+Avastin→Avastin, 51%; CP+Avastin→PBO, 53%; CP+PBO→PBO, 50%)

  • In psOC, Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions in the OCEANS study occurring at a higher incidence (≥2%) in 247 patients receiving Avastin plus carboplatin and gemcitabine (chemotherapy), compared to 233 patients receiving placebo plus chemotherapy, were thrombocytopenia (40% vs 34%), nausea (4% vs 1.3%), fatigue (6% vs 4%), headache (4% vs 0.9%), proteinuria (10% vs 0.4%), dyspnea (4% vs 1.7%), epistaxis (5% vs 0.4%), and hypertension (17% vs 0.9%)

  • In psOC, Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions in the GOG-0213 study occurring at a higher incidence (≥2%) in 325 patients receiving Avastin plus carboplatin and paclitaxel (chemotherapy), compared to 332 patients receiving chemotherapy alone, were hypertension (11% vs 0.6%), fatigue (8% vs 3%), febrile neutropenia (6% vs 3%), proteinuria (8% vs 0%), abdominal pain (6% vs 0.9%), hyponatremia (4% vs 0.9%), headache (3% vs 0.9%), and pain in extremity (3.4% vs 0%)

  • In prOC, Grade 3–4 adverse reactions in AURELIA occurring at a higher incidence (≥2%) in 179 patients receiving Avastin plus chemotherapy, compared to 181 patients receiving chemotherapy alone, were hypertension (6.7% vs 1.1%) and palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia syndrome (4.5% vs 1.7%)

You may report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
You may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

Please see full Prescribing Information for additional important safety information.

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      Avastin Prescribing Information. Genentech, Inc. 2022.

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    • MMIT Analysis.

      MMIT Analysis.

    • IQVIA Plantrak Corticosteroid Data.

      IQVIA Plantrak Corticosteroid Data.

    • HLI lives database.

      HLI lives database.