MS Medications: Autoinjectors Available at VA

Veterans Health Administration
Pharmacy Benefits Management

At the request of VA Multiple Sclerosis providers and in coordination with VA Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) and the manufacturers, Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) has developed a process to provide autoinjector devices. There are four autoinjector devices that work with prefilled syringes of specific MS drugs. They are free of charge and are not available through normal distribution channels. The pharmaceutical representatives have been asked not to provide autoinjectors during their promotional visits. The demo autoinjectors are allowed and can be used for training Veterans in clinic before they receive their device in the mail.

One autoinjector is for one-time use and the others are reusable (see descriptions below). They are in the National Drug File (NDF) so after they are set up locally, providers can order these as a prescription (along with the specific prefilled syringe) and have it mailed to the patient by CMOP.  CMOP will order initial stock and have the ability to order more based on utilization.  Facility pharmacies must provide CMOP with their expected utilization to ensure sufficient stock is available.  Some of these manufacturers may take several weeks to deliver once an order is placed by CMOP.

Below are the four different autoinjector devices that are part of this process.

NDF Name: AUTOINJECTOR, AVOSTARTGRIP TITRATION KIT
CMOP ID: XR295
Dispense Unit: KIT
Drug/Manufacturer:  Avonex/Biogen
Note: One-time use

Please Note:
The autoinjector device listed above applies only to the titration dosing of Avonex using the Avonex Prefilled Syringe. Patients on maintenance therapy receive either the Avonex Prefilled Syringe (without autoinjector device) or the Avonex Pen. The Prefilled Syringe and the Pen are both single use products. (Avonex Prefilled Syringe - NDC 59627-002-05; Avonex Pen - NDC 59627-003-04)

NDF Name: AUTOINJECTOR, AUTOJECT-2
CMOP ID: XR399
Dispense Unit: EA
Drug/Manufacturer:  Copaxone/Teva
Note: Reusable – up to 3 years or 1000 uses

NDF Name: AUTOINJECTOR, BETAJECT LITE
CMOP ID: XR296
Dispense Unit: EA
Drug/Manufacturer:  Betaseron/Bayer
Note: Reusable – up to 550 injections

NDF Name: AUTOINJECTOR, REBIJECT II
CMOP ID: A1652
Dispense Unit: EA
Drug/Manufacturer:  Rebif/EMD Serono
Note: Reusable – up to 2 years

For more information please contact your local VA medical center pharmacy department.

Date Posted: January 2013