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January 23, 2026<\/p>\n
2 min watch<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\nAdd topic to email alerts\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nReceive an email when new articles are posted on \n<\/p>\n\nPlease provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on .<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n” data-action=subscribe>\nSubscribe\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.<\/strong> <\/p>\nBack to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nKey takeaways:<\/h2>\n\nThe programs are designed to provide anti-VEGF treatment for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. <\/li>\nEnrolled patients experienced sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWAIKOLOA, Hawaii \u2014 Patients with retinal diseases who were treated with anti-VEGF therapies through manufacturer patient assistance programs showed sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/p>\nDuring a presentation at Retina 2026, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS,<\/b> stressed that patients who are uninsured or underinsured often lack access to necessary anti-VEGF treatments like bevacizumab. However, manufacturer patient assistance programs (PAP) sponsored by companies like Regeneron and Genentech are designed to provide \u201cfree, charitable anti-VEGF therapy to patients that are in the donut hole when they have insurance, or have no insurance at all,\u201d Adam told Healio. \u201cWe took a look at our real-world patient experience at our practice in Denver, Colorado, looking over about a 7-year period. We had patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), diabetic macular edema (DME), vein occlusion and neovascular age-related macular degeneration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\nImage: Anthony DeFino | Healio<\/em>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAdam\u2019s study analyzed 113 eyes across 86 patients, who, before PAP enrollment, received two to three injections per year across all disease states, a range that increased to six to 12 injections per year after enrollment, Adam said during the presentation.<\/p>\n\u201cThis resulted in sustained visual improvement from about 20\/100 to 20\/50 at an average of 3 years of follow up, and a central subfield thickness (CST) delta of about 388 \u00b5m to 300 \u00b5m at final follow up,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam noted during his presentation that CST reduction tended to plateau after one or two initial loading doses. <\/p>\n\u201cWe presume this is a little bit to do with the fact that a lot of these patients have PDR and minimal DME,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/video-js>\n<\/span><\/p>\n\nIn this exclusive Healio Video, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS, discusses a study that analyzed the impact of PAP programs on patient outcomes.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\nLimitations of the data included a lack of demographic and economic descriptive data for patients, the limited number of patients yielding less powerful sub-analyses and a non-standardized treatment protocol across multiple diseases. There were also a number of patients who were either rejected by PAP programs, faced payment barriers or did not fill out an application causing them to be follow-up.<\/p>\n\u201cThese PAP programs have a lot of questions about income, insurance status, residency, etc., and so there can be a lot of hoops to jump through,\u201d Adam told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam emphasized that PAP programs are not just a \u2018stopgap\u2019 for patients, but a sustained mode of care delivery for patients who are underinsured or uninsured.<\/p>\n\u201cI encourage you to look into the PAP programs in your local area and to try to help these patients as best you can,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\n
\nReceive an email when new articles are posted on \n<\/p>\n\nPlease provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on .<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n” data-action=subscribe>\nSubscribe\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.<\/strong> <\/p>\nBack to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nKey takeaways:<\/h2>\n\nThe programs are designed to provide anti-VEGF treatment for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. <\/li>\nEnrolled patients experienced sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWAIKOLOA, Hawaii \u2014 Patients with retinal diseases who were treated with anti-VEGF therapies through manufacturer patient assistance programs showed sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/p>\nDuring a presentation at Retina 2026, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS,<\/b> stressed that patients who are uninsured or underinsured often lack access to necessary anti-VEGF treatments like bevacizumab. However, manufacturer patient assistance programs (PAP) sponsored by companies like Regeneron and Genentech are designed to provide \u201cfree, charitable anti-VEGF therapy to patients that are in the donut hole when they have insurance, or have no insurance at all,\u201d Adam told Healio. \u201cWe took a look at our real-world patient experience at our practice in Denver, Colorado, looking over about a 7-year period. We had patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), diabetic macular edema (DME), vein occlusion and neovascular age-related macular degeneration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\nImage: Anthony DeFino | Healio<\/em>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAdam\u2019s study analyzed 113 eyes across 86 patients, who, before PAP enrollment, received two to three injections per year across all disease states, a range that increased to six to 12 injections per year after enrollment, Adam said during the presentation.<\/p>\n\u201cThis resulted in sustained visual improvement from about 20\/100 to 20\/50 at an average of 3 years of follow up, and a central subfield thickness (CST) delta of about 388 \u00b5m to 300 \u00b5m at final follow up,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam noted during his presentation that CST reduction tended to plateau after one or two initial loading doses. <\/p>\n\u201cWe presume this is a little bit to do with the fact that a lot of these patients have PDR and minimal DME,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/video-js>\n<\/span><\/p>\n\nIn this exclusive Healio Video, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS, discusses a study that analyzed the impact of PAP programs on patient outcomes.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\nLimitations of the data included a lack of demographic and economic descriptive data for patients, the limited number of patients yielding less powerful sub-analyses and a non-standardized treatment protocol across multiple diseases. There were also a number of patients who were either rejected by PAP programs, faced payment barriers or did not fill out an application causing them to be follow-up.<\/p>\n\u201cThese PAP programs have a lot of questions about income, insurance status, residency, etc., and so there can be a lot of hoops to jump through,\u201d Adam told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam emphasized that PAP programs are not just a \u2018stopgap\u2019 for patients, but a sustained mode of care delivery for patients who are underinsured or uninsured.<\/p>\n\u201cI encourage you to look into the PAP programs in your local area and to try to help these patients as best you can,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\n
” data-action=subscribe>\nSubscribe\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.<\/strong> <\/p>\nBack to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nKey takeaways:<\/h2>\n\nThe programs are designed to provide anti-VEGF treatment for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. <\/li>\nEnrolled patients experienced sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWAIKOLOA, Hawaii \u2014 Patients with retinal diseases who were treated with anti-VEGF therapies through manufacturer patient assistance programs showed sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/p>\nDuring a presentation at Retina 2026, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS,<\/b> stressed that patients who are uninsured or underinsured often lack access to necessary anti-VEGF treatments like bevacizumab. However, manufacturer patient assistance programs (PAP) sponsored by companies like Regeneron and Genentech are designed to provide \u201cfree, charitable anti-VEGF therapy to patients that are in the donut hole when they have insurance, or have no insurance at all,\u201d Adam told Healio. \u201cWe took a look at our real-world patient experience at our practice in Denver, Colorado, looking over about a 7-year period. We had patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), diabetic macular edema (DME), vein occlusion and neovascular age-related macular degeneration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\nImage: Anthony DeFino | Healio<\/em>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAdam\u2019s study analyzed 113 eyes across 86 patients, who, before PAP enrollment, received two to three injections per year across all disease states, a range that increased to six to 12 injections per year after enrollment, Adam said during the presentation.<\/p>\n\u201cThis resulted in sustained visual improvement from about 20\/100 to 20\/50 at an average of 3 years of follow up, and a central subfield thickness (CST) delta of about 388 \u00b5m to 300 \u00b5m at final follow up,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam noted during his presentation that CST reduction tended to plateau after one or two initial loading doses. <\/p>\n\u201cWe presume this is a little bit to do with the fact that a lot of these patients have PDR and minimal DME,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/video-js>\n<\/span><\/p>\n\nIn this exclusive Healio Video, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS, discusses a study that analyzed the impact of PAP programs on patient outcomes.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\nLimitations of the data included a lack of demographic and economic descriptive data for patients, the limited number of patients yielding less powerful sub-analyses and a non-standardized treatment protocol across multiple diseases. There were also a number of patients who were either rejected by PAP programs, faced payment barriers or did not fill out an application causing them to be follow-up.<\/p>\n\u201cThese PAP programs have a lot of questions about income, insurance status, residency, etc., and so there can be a lot of hoops to jump through,\u201d Adam told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam emphasized that PAP programs are not just a \u2018stopgap\u2019 for patients, but a sustained mode of care delivery for patients who are underinsured or uninsured.<\/p>\n\u201cI encourage you to look into the PAP programs in your local area and to try to help these patients as best you can,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\n
Back to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nKey takeaways:<\/h2>\n\nThe programs are designed to provide anti-VEGF treatment for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. <\/li>\nEnrolled patients experienced sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWAIKOLOA, Hawaii \u2014 Patients with retinal diseases who were treated with anti-VEGF therapies through manufacturer patient assistance programs showed sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/p>\nDuring a presentation at Retina 2026, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS,<\/b> stressed that patients who are uninsured or underinsured often lack access to necessary anti-VEGF treatments like bevacizumab. However, manufacturer patient assistance programs (PAP) sponsored by companies like Regeneron and Genentech are designed to provide \u201cfree, charitable anti-VEGF therapy to patients that are in the donut hole when they have insurance, or have no insurance at all,\u201d Adam told Healio. \u201cWe took a look at our real-world patient experience at our practice in Denver, Colorado, looking over about a 7-year period. We had patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), diabetic macular edema (DME), vein occlusion and neovascular age-related macular degeneration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\nImage: Anthony DeFino | Healio<\/em>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAdam\u2019s study analyzed 113 eyes across 86 patients, who, before PAP enrollment, received two to three injections per year across all disease states, a range that increased to six to 12 injections per year after enrollment, Adam said during the presentation.<\/p>\n\u201cThis resulted in sustained visual improvement from about 20\/100 to 20\/50 at an average of 3 years of follow up, and a central subfield thickness (CST) delta of about 388 \u00b5m to 300 \u00b5m at final follow up,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam noted during his presentation that CST reduction tended to plateau after one or two initial loading doses. <\/p>\n\u201cWe presume this is a little bit to do with the fact that a lot of these patients have PDR and minimal DME,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/video-js>\n<\/span><\/p>\n\nIn this exclusive Healio Video, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS, discusses a study that analyzed the impact of PAP programs on patient outcomes.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\nLimitations of the data included a lack of demographic and economic descriptive data for patients, the limited number of patients yielding less powerful sub-analyses and a non-standardized treatment protocol across multiple diseases. There were also a number of patients who were either rejected by PAP programs, faced payment barriers or did not fill out an application causing them to be follow-up.<\/p>\n\u201cThese PAP programs have a lot of questions about income, insurance status, residency, etc., and so there can be a lot of hoops to jump through,\u201d Adam told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam emphasized that PAP programs are not just a \u2018stopgap\u2019 for patients, but a sustained mode of care delivery for patients who are underinsured or uninsured.<\/p>\n\u201cI encourage you to look into the PAP programs in your local area and to try to help these patients as best you can,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\n
WAIKOLOA, Hawaii \u2014 Patients with retinal diseases who were treated with anti-VEGF therapies through manufacturer patient assistance programs showed sustained vision gains and central subfield thickness reduction.<\/p>\n
During a presentation at Retina 2026, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS,<\/b> stressed that patients who are uninsured or underinsured often lack access to necessary anti-VEGF treatments like bevacizumab. However, manufacturer patient assistance programs (PAP) sponsored by companies like Regeneron and Genentech are designed to provide \u201cfree, charitable anti-VEGF therapy to patients that are in the donut hole when they have insurance, or have no insurance at all,\u201d Adam told Healio. \u201cWe took a look at our real-world patient experience at our practice in Denver, Colorado, looking over about a 7-year period. We had patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), diabetic macular edema (DME), vein occlusion and neovascular age-related macular degeneration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\nImage: Anthony DeFino | Healio<\/em>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAdam\u2019s study analyzed 113 eyes across 86 patients, who, before PAP enrollment, received two to three injections per year across all disease states, a range that increased to six to 12 injections per year after enrollment, Adam said during the presentation.<\/p>\n\u201cThis resulted in sustained visual improvement from about 20\/100 to 20\/50 at an average of 3 years of follow up, and a central subfield thickness (CST) delta of about 388 \u00b5m to 300 \u00b5m at final follow up,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam noted during his presentation that CST reduction tended to plateau after one or two initial loading doses. <\/p>\n\u201cWe presume this is a little bit to do with the fact that a lot of these patients have PDR and minimal DME,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/video-js>\n<\/span><\/p>\n\nIn this exclusive Healio Video, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS, discusses a study that analyzed the impact of PAP programs on patient outcomes.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\nLimitations of the data included a lack of demographic and economic descriptive data for patients, the limited number of patients yielding less powerful sub-analyses and a non-standardized treatment protocol across multiple diseases. There were also a number of patients who were either rejected by PAP programs, faced payment barriers or did not fill out an application causing them to be follow-up.<\/p>\n\u201cThese PAP programs have a lot of questions about income, insurance status, residency, etc., and so there can be a lot of hoops to jump through,\u201d Adam told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam emphasized that PAP programs are not just a \u2018stopgap\u2019 for patients, but a sustained mode of care delivery for patients who are underinsured or uninsured.<\/p>\n\u201cI encourage you to look into the PAP programs in your local area and to try to help these patients as best you can,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\n
Adam\u2019s study analyzed 113 eyes across 86 patients, who, before PAP enrollment, received two to three injections per year across all disease states, a range that increased to six to 12 injections per year after enrollment, Adam said during the presentation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis resulted in sustained visual improvement from about 20\/100 to 20\/50 at an average of 3 years of follow up, and a central subfield thickness (CST) delta of about 388 \u00b5m to 300 \u00b5m at final follow up,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\n
Adam noted during his presentation that CST reduction tended to plateau after one or two initial loading doses. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe presume this is a little bit to do with the fact that a lot of these patients have PDR and minimal DME,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/video-js>\n<\/span><\/p>\n\nIn this exclusive Healio Video, Murtaza Adam, MD, FASRS, discusses a study that analyzed the impact of PAP programs on patient outcomes.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\nLimitations of the data included a lack of demographic and economic descriptive data for patients, the limited number of patients yielding less powerful sub-analyses and a non-standardized treatment protocol across multiple diseases. There were also a number of patients who were either rejected by PAP programs, faced payment barriers or did not fill out an application causing them to be follow-up.<\/p>\n\u201cThese PAP programs have a lot of questions about income, insurance status, residency, etc., and so there can be a lot of hoops to jump through,\u201d Adam told Healio.<\/p>\nAdam emphasized that PAP programs are not just a \u2018stopgap\u2019 for patients, but a sustained mode of care delivery for patients who are underinsured or uninsured.<\/p>\n\u201cI encourage you to look into the PAP programs in your local area and to try to help these patients as best you can,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\n
Limitations of the data included a lack of demographic and economic descriptive data for patients, the limited number of patients yielding less powerful sub-analyses and a non-standardized treatment protocol across multiple diseases. There were also a number of patients who were either rejected by PAP programs, faced payment barriers or did not fill out an application causing them to be follow-up.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese PAP programs have a lot of questions about income, insurance status, residency, etc., and so there can be a lot of hoops to jump through,\u201d Adam told Healio.<\/p>\n
Adam emphasized that PAP programs are not just a \u2018stopgap\u2019 for patients, but a sustained mode of care delivery for patients who are underinsured or uninsured.<\/p>\n
\u201cI encourage you to look into the PAP programs in your local area and to try to help these patients as best you can,\u201d he told Healio.<\/p>\n
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