Neulasta

Because some chemo drugs can make your white blood cell count drop and affect your immune system, medication is often given to stimulate production of white blood cells. One such drug is Neulasta, given 24 hours after chemo. That's the shot Ma got yesterday.

A similar drug is Neupogen. There are two main differences between Neulasta & Neupogen:

• Number of shots required. Only one shot of Neulasta is required vs. several daily shots of Neupogen.
• Cost. Neulasta costs between $3000-7000. Neupogen is only about $300 a shot. Even with five shots required, it's still cheaper than Neulasta.

I suspect Neulasta is prescribed only if your insurance will cover it. Medicare must cover it since that's what Ma is getting. Also, you must wait at least 14 days since your Neulasta shot before getting your next chemo. If you're on a weekly chemo schedule, you'll have to use Neupogen.