THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
I. Background
Prometheus provides clinical laboratory testing services and markets pharmaceutical products. In providing testing services, Prometheus receives, creates and discloses personal health information. In fulfilling regulatory requirements related to the pharmaceutical products, Prometheus may receive and disclose personal health information. This information is private and confidential. There are policies and procedures in place to protect the information against unlawful use and disclosure. This notice describes information we collect, how we use that information, and when and to whom we may disclose it.
II. Protected Health Information and Our Obligations
Protected health information or "PHI" (also called "personal health information"), is current, past or future information created or received by Prometheus from physicians, patients, health plans or other sources. It is personal or medical information that relates to the physical condition of a patient, the provision of health care to that person, or payment for the provision of health care to that person. The term PHI does not generally include publicly available information, or information available or reported in a summarized or grouped manner.
Certain laws require Prometheus to maintain the privacy of PHI and to make available this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI. When we use or disclose PHI, we are required to abide by the terms of this notice (or other notice in effect at the time of the use or disclosure).
III. Information Collected and Created by Prometheus
Prometheus collects that information that is minimally necessary to provide testing services and to obtain payment for these services. This may include your name, address, telephone number, social security number, date of birth, medical history, diagnosis, treatment, provider identification and treatment information, financial responsibility and payment information.
Prometheus creates, through its testing services, information to be used by a physician in the diagnosis of disease or condition or in the treatment of a disease or condition.
Prometheus also receives information that is minimally necessary to perform reporting to the Food and Drug Administration when an unexpected or adverse event occurs in the use of our pharmaceutical products.
IV. Protection of PHI
Access to PHI is restricted to only those employees of Prometheus who need it in order to provide services to clients and patients. We maintain physical, technical and procedural safeguards to protect PHI against unauthorized use and disclosure. We have a Privacy Officer who is responsible for developing, educating Prometheus personnel about, and overseeing the implementation and enforcement of policies and procedures designed to safeguard PHI against inappropriate use and disclosure consistent with the applicable law.
V. Standard Uses and Disclosures of PHI
In the course of providing laboratory services, Prometheus uses PHI internally and discloses it to health care providers (doctors requesting services, laboratory personnel involved in ordering services and other caregivers), insurers, third party administrators, plan sponsors and other payors (employers, health care provider organizations and others who may be responsible for paying for or administering your health benefits); vendors, consultants, government authorities; and their respective agents. They are required by law to keep PHI confidential. Some examples of what we do with the information we collect and the reasons it might be disclosed to third parties are described below.
We may use or disclose PHI with or without your consent to provide health care services. Examples of these uses and disclosures include:
| Compliance/Privacy Office Prometheus 9410 Carroll Park Drive San Diego, CA 92121 Or call our Ethics Hotline at 1-800-794-9193 |
| The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201 (202) 619-0257 Toll Free: 1-877-696-6775 |
INDICATION: LOTRONEX is indicated only for women with severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome who have: chronic irritable bowel syndrome symptoms (generally lasting 6 months or longer), had anatomic or biochemical abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract excluded, and not responded adequately to conventional therapy. Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome is severe if it includes diarrhea and one or more of the following: frequent and severe abdominal pain/discomfort, frequent bowel urgency or fecal incontinence, disability or restriction of daily activities due to irritable bowel syndrome. Because of infrequent but serious gastrointestinal adverse events associated with LOTRONEX, the indication is restricted to those patients for whom the benefit-to-risk balance is most favorable. Clinical studies have not been performed to adequately confirm the benefits of LOTRONEX in men.
PEDIATRIC USE: Safety and effectiveness have not been established in pediatric patients.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Infrequent but serious gastrointestinal adverse events have been reported with the use of LOTRONEX. These events, including ischemic colitis and serious complications of constipation, have resulted in hospitalization, and rarely, blood transfusion, surgery, and death. Some patients have experienced serious complications of constipation or ischemic colitis without warning. In IBS clinical trials, approximately 10% of patients on LOTRONEX withdrew prematurely because of constipation. The incidence of serious complications of constipation was approximately 0.1% (1 per 1,000 patients) in women receiving either LOTRONEX or placebo. In IBS clinical trials, the cumulative incidence of ischemic colitis in women receiving LOTRONEX was 0.2% (2 per 1,000 patients, 95% confidence interval 1 to 3) through 3 months and was 0.3% (3 per 1,000 patients, 95% confidence interval 1 to 4) through 6 months. Ischemic colitis was not reported in women receiving placebo. The patient experience in controlled clinical trials is insufficient to estimate the incidence of ischemic colitis in patients taking LOTRONEX for longer than 6 months.
LOTRONEX should be discontinued immediately in patients who develop constipation or symptoms of ischemic colitis such as rectal bleeding, bloody diarrhea or new or worsening abdominal pain. Patients should immediately report constipation or symptoms of ischemic colitis to their physician. LOTRONEX should not be resumed in patients who develop ischemic colitis. Patients who have constipation should immediately contact their physician if the constipation does not resolve after LOTRONEX is discontinued. Patients with resolved constipation should resume LOTRONEX only on the advice of their treating physician.
LOTRONEX should not be initiated in IBS patients who are constipated. LOTRONEX is contraindicated in patients with a history of chronic or severe constipation or a history of sequelae from constipation; with a history of intestinal obstruction, stricture, toxic megacolon, gastrointestinal perforation, and/or adhesions; with a history of ischemic colitis, impaired intestinal circulation, thrombophlebitis, or hypercoagulable state; with current or a history of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis; with severe hepatic impairment; with active diverticulitis or a history of diverticulitis; in patients who are unable to understand or comply with the Patient-Physician Agreement; and/or in patients with known hypersensitivity to any component of the product. Concomitant administration of alosetron with fluvoxamine is contraindicated.
DOSING: To lower the risk of constipation, LOTRONEX should be started at a dosage of 0.5 mg twice a day. Patients well controlled on 0.5 mg twice a day may be maintained on this regimen. If, after 4 weeks, the 0.5-mg twice-daily dosage is well tolerated but does not adequately control IBS symptoms, then the dosage can be increased to up to 1 mg twice a day, the dose used in controlled clinical trials. LOTRONEX should be discontinued in patients who have not had adequate control of IBS symptoms after 4 weeks of treatment with 1 mg twice per day. LOTRONEX should be used with caution in debilitated patients, elderly patients, patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment, and patients taking medications that decrease gastrointestinal motility. LOTRONEX should not be used in patients with severe hepatic impairment.
Please consult the Complete Prescribing Information.