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Post by careful2invest on Feb 15, 2017 6:18:51 GMT -5
Many mistakes were made, that is in the past, cannot change that, but things are finally in place for success. The "time in range" trials being conducted now is huge! I was so happy to read that! AFREZZA shines in that capacity! Many of us have been asking for advertising for a very long time. But in hindsight, maybe it was best that they did not advertise early and here is why... Think if MNKD would have advertised in the beginning with Sanofi, taking into account spirometry, titration and insurance coverage. None of that was in place or dialed in. Doctors and Patients would have been confused and (at that time) neither MNKD or Sanofi knew enough or had the resources available to address these issues with the amount of volume that they would have probably been coming in, Due to advertising. It could have been a disaster! No doubt, the past three years or so has been no picnic, and the pps is suffering, but I feel like the ship is finally being righted! MNKD learned alot in that time (with Sanofi) and thankfully, due to MNKD's efforts, they have addressed these issues and between MNKD, VDEX, JDRF, etc., a new patient can receive superior direction to adjust to using AFREZZA. The timing for advertising is now! GLTA TRUE LONGS! I have been using Afrezza for 2 years come March 11th. I am T2. My GP gave me the script because I told him to. In 2016 I had to go to an Endo because my insurance co stopped covering it unless I had a letter of medical necessity. Originally my new Endo wouldn't write the letter so I paid for afrezza myself. He was adamant about that. Didn't want to go to bat for me against a medical director of United Healthcare . After another 3 months of seeing ny A1C go from 6.2, to 5.7 to 5.5 you wouldn't believe the great letter he wrote and the letter he helped me write. I received coverage within 24 hours after they received the letter of medical necessity. If there is a will there is a way. My son is T1 and has been using Afrezza for his meal time Insulin for 22 months. He has been featured on Fox News in NY and in CBS WITH DR MAX GOMEZ. If you haven't seen the Video from Dr Edelstein on how to properly use Afrezza you must watch it. If you are trying to get your doctor to write a prescription make sure he watches it in front of you. I guarantee it will change his mind. Hillsave, Your persistance has definitely paid off! Thanks for sharing your story! I hope that you continue to spread the word about AFREZZA. It's great to hear stories like yours and your son's. AFREZZA is revolutionary, and thanks to your efforts and many others, AFREZZA is gaining some ground, albeit slowly, (a bit too slowly) but every new prescription helps to open and change peoples minds. Have you considered making a video to put on youtube or on another AFREZZA website? It seems clear that commercials would speed things up (even short, inexpensive, regional ads) Hopefully that happens sooner than later. GLTA TRUE LONGS and PWD!
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Post by hillsave on Feb 15, 2017 6:42:50 GMT -5
I have been using Afrezza for 2 years come March 11th. I am T2. My GP gave me the script because I told him to. In 2016 I had to go to an Endo because my insurance co stopped covering it unless I had a letter of medical necessity. Originally my new Endo wouldn't write the letter so I paid for afrezza myself. He was adamant about that. Didn't want to go to bat for me against a medical director of United Healthcare . After another 3 months of seeing ny A1C go from 6.2, to 5.7 to 5.5 you wouldn't believe the great letter he wrote and the letter he helped me write. I received coverage within 24 hours after they received the letter of medical necessity. If there is a will there is a way. My son is T1 and has been using Afrezza for his meal time Insulin for 22 months. He has been featured on Fox News in NY and in CBS WITH DR MAX GOMEZ. If you haven't seen the Video from Dr Edelstein on how to properly use Afrezza you must watch it. If you are trying to get your doctor to write a prescription make sure he watches it in front of you. I guarantee it will change his mind. Hillsave, Your persistance has definitely paid off! Thanks for sharing your story! I hope that you continue to spread the word about AFREZZA. It's great to hear stories like yours and your son's. AFREZZA is revolutionary, and thanks to your efforts and many others, AFREZZA is gaining some ground, albeit slowly, (a bit too slowly) but every new prescription helps to open and change peoples minds. Have you considered making a video to put on youtube or on another AFREZZA website? It seems clear that commercials would speed things up (even short, inexpensive, regional ads) Hopefully that happens sooner than later. GLTA TRUE LONGS and PWD! You or anyone can go on Facebook to see videos and stories from people using Afrezza. Www.facebook.com/AfrezzaTogether There is the YouTube video of my son on the Dr Gomez show.
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Post by silentknight on Feb 15, 2017 6:50:05 GMT -5
A quick search of the Afrezza groups on Facebook will give you plenty of examples of how patients who want Afrezza are turned down by their doctors, with those that are prescribed the drug given extremely bad titration directions by their doctors, resulting in bad experiences by new users coupled with the inability to control their blood glucose because they're using the product incorrectly.
There has to be a two pronged approach, which I'm hopeful MNKD is undertaking.
1) Better educate endos and PCPs on the benefits of Afrezza and how to properly use it. This is where the sales team comes into play. This will 100% be on their shoulders to accomplish.
2) Better inform the diabetic community that Afrezza exists and better promote its convenience, efficacy and quality of life improvements. Commercials, perhaps with a celebrity or two, will help this tremendously but there is a huge problem when 2 years after you launch, 9 out of 10 people don't even know about your product, like Mike said on the quarterly call.
It appears that MNKD is addressing these issues, FINALLY. The success of their efforts is yet to be determined. Let's hope it pays off better than it has in the past.
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Post by hillsave on Feb 15, 2017 6:55:46 GMT -5
A quick search of the Afrezza groups on Facebook will give you plenty of examples of how patients who want Afrezza are turned down by their doctors, with those that are prescribed the drug given extremely bad titration directions by their doctors, resulting in bad experiences by new users coupled with the inability to control their blood glucose because they're using the product incorrectly. There has to be a two pronged approach, which I'm hopeful MNKD is undertaking. 1) Better educate endos and PCPs on the benefits of Afrezza and how to properly use it. This is where the sales team comes into play. This will 100% be on their shoulders to accomplish. 2) Better inform the diabetic community that Afrezza exists and better promote its convenience, efficacy and quality of life improvements. Commercials, perhaps with a celebrity or two, will help this tremendously but there is a huge problem when 2 years after you launch, 9 out of 10 people don't even know about your product, like Mike said on the quarterly call. It appears that MNKD is addressing these issues, FINALLY. The success of their efforts is yet to be determined. Let's hope it pays off better than it has in the past. My son Bradley Saveth was interviewed by Dr Max Gomez on CBS NEWS on Tuesday 1/10/17 about his life using Afrezza instead of Injectable Insulin that most Diabetics use. Click on the link below to view. youtu.be/KM82rY3WEKM
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Post by hillsave on Feb 15, 2017 6:58:00 GMT -5
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Post by hillsave on Feb 15, 2017 6:59:37 GMT -5
Welcome to Mannkind, I am very excited to have you on our team as our hopes and future are now in your hands. Afrezza is the greatest advance in diabetes treatment since Banting and Best first used insulin in 1922, 95 years ago. You have the ability to dramatically affect the future in diabetes treatment. Research teams are currently working on methods to reduce A1c from the 9+'s to the 7's. With afrezza it should be the norm for patients to be in the 6's, 5's and even 4's. If the patients are not hitting these numbers, don't blame the product as they are either dosing improperly, holding the inhaler upside down, or the patient has other issues in addition to their diabetes. There is only one thing which can bring down high blood sugar and it is insulin. The best insulin which does this is the insulin secreted from the pancreas, monomer human insulin. No pills, DPP-4 Inhibitor, GLP-1 Agonist, SGLT-2 Inhibitor, or any Analog insulin can do what the healthy pancreas can do. If you can NOT sell afrezza don't blame the product as the product is this exact same insulin which the pancreas secretes. No other product can do what afrezza does and has the pharmakinetics afrezza does which mimics the pancreas. No other Analog is as easy to use as afrezza and there is no carb counting. If sold properly afrezza should dominate the entire diabetes space and should be used by most T1's and T2's including off label for corrections for smokers and those with COPD. It will not be easy as Big Pharma has been and will continue to throw everything at you to stop you and afrezza. They will convince doctors its too new BUT you know its human insulin and human insulin has been around since the beginning of man. You will also be armed with all the info on FDKP. BP will point the doctors to the lackluster A1c results from Studies 171 and 175 but you will be armed with the study results from that one doctor in those studies called out by the FDA because he had his patients follow the 90 minute second dose as outlined in the protocol to mimic phase 2 pancreatic release and his results blew away the Insulin Aspart results. You will explain how afrezza mimics the healthy pancreas with phase1 and phase 2 insulin release. You will also explain how import each phase is and that only afrezza can provide that ALL important phase 1 release. You will also be armed with the clamp study results and explain why A1c is really not the best way to treat diabetes but rather time in range. They will then tell you the current protocol for T2's is to first treat will pills but you will have all the latest studies which show how early insulin intervention can not only stop the progression their patients will see on those pills but in some cases reverse diabetes. For early insulin intervention there is no better choice than afrezza. Once they run out of every other excuse they will throw the cancer Red Herring at you but since you already know human insulin does not cause cancer you will smile. You will then explain that current diabetics do have a higher rate of cancer and you will be armed with the studies which point to the elongated amount of time the current analogs are in the system as one potential for increased cancer rates. You will explain how fast afrezza is in and out so this may give afrezza a big advantage for not promoting cancer as other analogs may do. You will also have the AspB10 report and explain that no one is quite sure of the long term effects with the analogs and work is just starting to understand if the analogs may be a reason for the higher incidents. Yes, we have been told they are safe but are they really safe for everyone? We know human insulin is safe. You will be armed with your Abbott Libre and Dexcom and explain titrating using the guide in the starter kit and explain why glucose measuring several times after eating is needed and a second and maybe even a third dose of afrezza may be needed after meals to mimic the pancreas phase 2 release. You can then explain the Libre is fully covered and by lending the new T2 a scanner for several months to do the home measurements while returning every two weeks to collect and review the measurements it is not only the best way to titrate but also fully covered for the patient and profitable for the doctor. It will also guarantee the measurements are available and correct. Ideally Mannkind will have software which can model these results and highlight adjustments which can be made to dosing. Do your homework, be prepared and be persistent. You have one of the biggest $ markets to sell into and you have the best product. You have the potential to have hundreds of $millions in sales within a few short years. You have never had such a sales opportunity as this. You have real users showing real results on youtube which researchers still can't mimic in their labs with non-insulin approaches. As additional technology products which measure and track real time glucose levels enter the market this should make selling afrezza even easier because nothing can control high blood sugar like afrezza except a healthy pancreas. Kastanes Avatar Read more: mnkd.proboards.com/thread/7267/open-letter-sales-team#ixzz4YgFdZynRKeeping you informed
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Demand
Feb 15, 2017 7:42:42 GMT -5
Post by dh4mizzou on Feb 15, 2017 7:42:42 GMT -5
Then that video needs to be at the top of every visit these salespeople are making to the GPs and ENDOs.
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Post by otherottawaguy on Feb 15, 2017 7:48:26 GMT -5
Hillsave:
Do you have an electronic copy of the letter? If so, could you post it here (blanking out your personal details of course)?
Might be something that others could present to their docs as an argument for issuing them a script.
Thanks,
OOG
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Post by mango on Feb 15, 2017 8:46:08 GMT -5
Every diabetic that a friend and I convinced to request Afrezza was turned down by the doctor; if doctors are not on-board no amount of consumer advertising is going to increase scripts.h It is easier to find a doctor prescribing cannabis than Afrezza. Perhaps they should target Integrative Medicine clinics, seems like they are pretty open minded and already prescribing what their colleagues won't. Need to approach the people that are already against the status quo. IMO.
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Post by peppy on Feb 15, 2017 9:07:29 GMT -5
Many mistakes were made, that is in the past, cannot change that, but things are finally in place for success. The "time in range" trials being conducted now is huge! I was so happy to read that! AFREZZA shines in that capacity! Many of us have been asking for advertising for a very long time. But in hindsight, maybe it was best that they did not advertise early and here is why... Think if MNKD would have advertised in the beginning with Sanofi, taking into account spirometry, titration and insurance coverage. None of that was in place or dialed in. Doctors and Patients would have been confused and (at that time) neither MNKD or Sanofi knew enough or had the resources available to address these issues with the amount of volume that they would have probably been coming in, Due to advertising. It could have been a disaster! No doubt, the past three years or so has been no picnic, and the pps is suffering, but I feel like the ship is finally being righted! MNKD learned alot in that time (with Sanofi) and thankfully, due to MNKD's efforts, they have addressed these issues and between MNKD, VDEX, JDRF, etc., a new patient can receive superior direction to adjust to using AFREZZA. The timing for advertising is now! GLTA TRUE LONGS! I have been using Afrezza for 2 years come March 11th. I am T2. My GP gave me the script because I told him to. In 2016 I had to go to an Endo because my insurance co stopped covering it unless I had a letter of medical necessity. Originally my new Endo wouldn't write the letter so I paid for afrezza myself. He was adamant about that. Didn't want to go to bat for me against a medical director of United Healthcare . After another 3 months of seeing ny A1C go from 6.2, to 5.7 to 5.5 you wouldn't believe the great letter he wrote and the letter he helped me write. I received coverage within 24 hours after they received the letter of medical necessity. If there is a will there is a way. My son is T1 and has been using Afrezza for his meal time Insulin for 22 months. He has been featured on Fox News in NY and in CBS WITH DR MAX GOMEZ. If you haven't seen the Video from Dr Edelstein on how to properly use Afrezza you must watch it. If you are trying to get your doctor to write a prescription make sure he watches it in front of you. I guarantee it will change his mind. Hillsave, thank you for the post. Your words are still ringing through my body. Quote: After another 3 months of seeing my A1C go from 6.2, to 5.7 to 5.5 you wouldn't believe the great letter he wrote and the letter he helped me write. I received coverage within 24 hours. reply: this is the way medicine and physicians are supposed to work. evidence based. Once they know the evidence, the theory is they proceed in the patients best interest. It seems your hard head no man, was able to see evidence. There is the hope. They are not blind, they can see.
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Post by akemp3000 on Feb 15, 2017 9:24:26 GMT -5
I have copied and will be handing the letter to my doctor next week telling him this will be the most important read of his lifetime with regard to helping diabetics. I have known him for years and have told him about Afrezza previously. He was intrigued but there just wasn't enough succinct information and a letter like this that explains the complete story by covering both efficacy and the challenging headwinds. He will read it and I have no doubt will finally come on board. Thank you!
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Demand
Feb 15, 2017 9:46:05 GMT -5
Post by peppy on Feb 15, 2017 9:46:05 GMT -5
I have copied and will be handing the letter to my doctor next week telling him this will be the most important read of his lifetime with regard to helping diabetics. I have known him for years and have told him about Afrezza previously. He was intrigued but there just wasn't enough succinct information and a letter like this that explains the complete story by covering both efficacy and the challenging headwinds. He will read it and I have no doubt will finally come on board. Thank you! Quote: He was intrigued but there just wasn't enough succinct information Reply: This seems to be a tag line. The physicians doing it for us. I could almost believe them.
I saw a commercial for keyturda during the news the other night, I read the FDA information and package insert information. End of life cancer medications advertisements? Really, so I am dying of cancer and I ask my physician about Keyturda. And what a piece of.... www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/k/keytruda/keytruda_pi.pdf
This is some story we have created for ourselves. Some one we do not know with a license is going to make our decisions for us, so they can be paid for with the monthly money you send in.
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Post by hillsave on Feb 15, 2017 13:49:07 GMT -5
Curious why the top Endos in the U.S. aren't able to get other Endo's PCP's on board. I know it's not their job to inform others but wouldn't you think by now less known endo's would be thinking lets give this a try? Endo's by nature are a conservative group. I have spoken to many Endo's from around the country. Some, younger ones, seem more willing to be believers and are willing to try Afrezza. When they see success with one patient they give it a try on another. Others, older generation, have been trained and brainwashed in believing the traditional method of treating T1&T2 is by injection which has proven to be able to control BG. The problem with the OLD METHOD is compliance on the side of the Diabetic. Once these Dr's fully understand and see the proof in writing (Like FDA APPROVED LANGUAGE ) they will jump on board. I have a dear old friend of 58 years who is an Endo in Philly and I've been informing him of all the success stories about Patients using Afrezza, but until the label is changed, and imho it will be, he's keeping away. Maybe there will be peer pressure soon but I'm not counting on it. Until the tides turn a patient MUST INSIST that his ENDO writes the script or he will find a new one who will. That kind of pressure works. I know it did for me. My Endo gave me every reason in the world why he can maintain my A1C at 5.5 without Insulin. Not sure what he was smoking but he didn't share it with me 🙂
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Post by gamblerjag on Feb 15, 2017 15:01:31 GMT -5
Curious why the top Endos in the U.S. aren't able to get other Endo's PCP's on board. I know it's not their job to inform others but wouldn't you think by now less known endo's would be thinking lets give this a try? Endo's by nature are a conservative group. I have spoken to many Endo's from around the country. Some, younger ones, seem more willing to be believers and are willing to try Afrezza. When they see success with one patient they give it a try on another. Others, older generation, have been trained and brainwashed in believing the traditional method of treating T1&T2 is by injection which has proven to be able to control BG. The problem with the OLD METHOD is compliance on the side of the Diabetic. Once these Dr's fully understand and see the proof in writing (Like FDA APPROVED LANGUAGE ) they will jump on board. I have a dear old friend of 58 years who is an Endo in Philly and I've been informing him of all the success stories about Patients using Afrezza, but until the label is changed, and imho it will be, he's keeping away. Maybe there will be peer pressure soon but I'm not counting on it. Until the tides turn a patient MUST INSIST that his ENDO writes the script or he will find a new one who will. That kind of pressure works. I know it did for me. My Endo gave me every reason in the world why he can maintain my A1C at 5.5 without Insulin. Not sure what he was smoking but he didn't share it with me 🙂 [. Hill. great having you here enjoy reading your knowledge post. thanks
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Post by lojothehus on Feb 15, 2017 15:09:04 GMT -5
Endo's by nature are a conservative group. I have spoken to many Endo's from around the country. Some, younger ones, seem more willing to be believers and are willing to try Afrezza. When they see success with one patient they give it a try on another. Others, older generation, have been trained and brainwashed in believing the traditional method of treating T1&T2 is by injection which has proven to be able to control BG. The problem with the OLD METHOD is compliance on the side of the Diabetic. Once these Dr's fully understand and see the proof in writing (Like FDA APPROVED LANGUAGE ) they will jump on board. I have a dear old friend of 58 years who is an Endo in Philly and I've been informing him of all the success stories about Patients using Afrezza, but until the label is changed, and imho it will be, he's keeping away. Maybe there will be peer pressure soon but I'm not counting on it. Until the tides turn a patient MUST INSIST that his ENDO writes the script or he will find a new one who will. That kind of pressure works. I know it did for me. My Endo gave me every reason in the world why he can maintain my A1C at 5.5 without Insulin. Not sure what he was smoking but he didn't share it with me 🙂 [. He'll save great having you here enjoy reading your knowledge thanks I would have to concur, very few endos are brazen enough to step away from traditional treatments unless it's demanded by the patients. No needles; and better A1C's = patient demand. Clicking on the Website and reading and viewing testimonials = patient demand. Patient demand = increased prescriptions and a buzz. Increased prescriptions and the buzz = better health to diabetics and a return on my investment.
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