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Accessing GERD Treatment Shouldn't Give You Heartburn

Health2026-11-12

(BPT) - For many families, the holidays mean long meals around a crowded table. For years, Erin quietly dreaded them. While everyone else talked and laughed, she ate slowly, taking tiny bites and chewing carefully.

"Everybody's done with their food and I'm just slowly working my way through my plate," Erin said. "There's this little voice saying, 'What are people thinking?' And when I'd have to excuse myself during a meal, that just weighed really heavy on me, emotionally and mentally."

Erin had been managing heartburn for most of her adult life, at least 25 years. She cut back on greasy foods, limited red wine and avoided her biggest triggers, tomatoes and red sauces. She also never left home without her antacids. Still, the heartburn kept coming back, especially at night.

In 2025, after her symptoms worsened, an endoscopy showed severe Erosive Esophagitis, also called Erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which occurs when stomach acid damages the lining of the esophagus. "It was the first time that I really felt fearful over what the future was going to hold for me," Erin said.

What is GERD?

GERD is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases, and it occurs when stomach acid flows into the esophagus and causes irritation. Heartburn is one of the most frequent symptoms of GERD, which can also cause regurgitation, difficulty eating and drinking, and damage to the esophageal lining.

There are two main types of GERD: Erosive GERD, also called Erosive Esophagitis, and Non-Erosive GERD. People with Non-Erosive GERD may experience symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation but no acid-related damage to the esophagus.

A new treatment option, and an unexpected hurdle

After years of trying over-the-counter and other prescription medications that weren't giving her the relief she needed, Erin asked her gastroenterologist (GI): What are my options? He told her about the potassium-competitive acid blocker (PCAB) called VOQUEZNA^® (vonoprazan) tablets, a prescription medicine that works differently than proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and the other medications she had tried. Erin was compensated by Phathom for sharing her experience with VOQUEZNA. Individual results will vary.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not take VOQUEZNA if you:

are allergic to vonoprazan or any of the other ingredients in VOQUEZNA. Allergic reaction symptoms may include trouble breathing, rash, itching, and swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat.
are taking a medicine that contains rilpivirine (EDURANT, COMPLERA, JULUCA, ODEFSEY) used to treat HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

Please see full Indication and full Important Safety Information below.

"I was skeptical, but I love my GI and I trust him completely with my care," Erin said. "So, I was willing to try anything that he suggested that might help."

Her doctor prescribed VOQUEZNA to treat her GERD-related heartburn. Then came a call from her local pharmacy. Her insurance didn't cover the prescription medicine, and the out-of-pocket cost was more than she could afford. "That was really disheartening, especially after finally feeling like I had a possible solution," she said.

Erin called her doctor's office, and a staff member pointed her to BlinkRx, Phathom's pharmacy network partner. "In less than 10 minutes after I hung up, I had a text message with a link to set up my account," Erin said. Through BlinkRx, her VOQUEZNA was shipped directly to her door with her savings automatically applied. "Having it accessible to me is a huge part of the equation."

VOQUEZNA has helped heal the acid-related damage to her esophagus and relieve her daily heartburn. "I know it's not going to be the right answer for everybody," Erin said, "but I'm so grateful I had another option to try."

For many patients, getting a diagnosis and a prescription is only part of the journey. Actually filling that prescription can be its own challenge.

"When a patient leaves their gastroenterologist's office with a prescription, that treatment decision was made together, often after years of symptoms and failure on other treatments," said Dr. Colin W. Howden, a gastroenterologist. "Cost and prior authorizations shouldn't be what stands between a patient and that treatment plan. Assistance programs like Phathom's, which make the process simpler and bring out-of-pocket costs down to as little as $0, help patients start and stay on the treatment they and their doctor chose."

Getting VOQUEZNA just got easier

To help make it easier and more affordable for GERD patients to fill their VOQUEZNA prescriptions, Phathom Pharmaceuticals, the makers of VOQUEZNA, recently announced that eligible commercially insured patients may pay as little as $0 for VOQUEZNA (vonoprazan) tablets, exclusively through the BlinkRx pharmacy network.

Pay as little as $0: The lowest out-of-pocket cost available is identified automatically by BlinkRx, with no coupon to carry and no pharmacy line to wait in. Terms and limits apply.
Free nationwide home delivery and option to choose automatic refills: VOQUEZNA is delivered to the patient's door at no additional cost, and patients can select automatic refills.
Prior authorization support: BlinkRx identifies any prior authorization requirements and reminds doctors' offices to complete the necessary steps to help patients start treatment.
Cash-pay option for patients without coverage:Patients without insurance or whose insurance does not cover VOQUEZNA may be eligible to pay $55 for a 30-day supply through BlinkRx by choosing a cash pay option (outside of insurance). This cash-pay option is only available through BlinkRx and is subject to terms and conditions.

"After that call from my neighborhood pharmacy, knowing patients may now pay as little as $0 through BlinkRx is huge," Erin said. "And having it delivered to my door means I can keep taking my medication as my doctor intended."

If your doctor determines that VOQUEZNA is right for you, ask them to send your prescription directly to BlinkRx to potentially take advantage of the pay as little as $0 offer and ensure you pay the lowest possible amount for your medication. Learn more at VOQUEZNA.com/cost-and-savings.

The pay as little as $0 offer is not available for patients with Medicare, Medicaid or other government insurance. Massachusetts residents may pay as little as $25 through BlinkRx or at participating retail pharmacies with the VOQUEZNA Savings Card. Patients must be 18 or older. Additional terms apply. See full terms at VOQUEZNA.com/cost-and-savings.

Speak up for your health

Erin hopes her story encourages others who are still struggling to keep asking questions.

"I really believe that people deserve to know that there are other options out there, and sometimes patients have to advocate for themselves," she said.

If you are dealing with heartburn or GERD, talk to your doctor about your symptoms and whether VOQUEZNA may be right for you.

INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is VOQUEZNA?

VOQUEZNA^® (vonoprazan) is a prescription medicine used in adults:
- for 8 weeks to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called Erosive Esophagitis) and for relief of heartburn related to Erosive Esophagitis.
- for up to 6 months to maintain healing of Erosive Esophagitis and for relief of heartburn related to Erosive Esophagitis.
- for 4 weeks for relief of heartburn related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

It is not known if VOQUEZNA is safe and effective in children.

Do not take VOQUEZNA if you:

are allergic to vonoprazan or any of the other ingredients in VOQUEZNA. Allergic reaction symptoms may include trouble breathing, rash, itching, and swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat.
are taking a medicine that contains rilpivirine (EDURANT, COMPLERA, JULUCA, ODEFSEY) used to treat HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

Before taking VOQUEZNA, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

have low magnesium, calcium, or potassium in your blood, or you are taking a medicine to increase urine (diuretic).
have kidney or liver problems.
are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if VOQUEZNA will harm your unborn baby.
- Pregnancy Exposure Registry: There is a pregnancy registry for women who take VOQUEZNA during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. If you are pregnant or become pregnant during treatment with VOQUEZNA, talk to your healthcare provider about how you can join this pregnancy registry or you can enroll in the registry by calling 1-866-609-1612 or visiting https://voqueznapregnancyregistry.com/.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take VOQUEZNA while breastfeeding.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Keep a list of them to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

VOQUEZNA may affect how other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how VOQUEZNA works. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take medicine that contains rilpivirine (EDURANT, COMPLERA, JULUCA, ODEFSEY).

What are the possible side effects of VOQUEZNA?

VOQUEZNA may cause serious side effects including:

A type of kidney problem (acute tubulointerstitial nephritis): Some people who take VOQUEZNA may develop a kidney problem called acute tubulointerstitial nephritis. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a decrease in the amount that you urinate or if you notice blood in your urine.
Diarrhea caused by an infection (Clostridioides difficile) in your intestines: Call your healthcare provider right away if you have watery stools, stomach pain, and fever that does not go away.
Bone fractures (hip, wrist, or spine): Bone fractures in the hip, wrist, or spine may happen in people who take multiple daily doses of another type of medicine that reduces acid in your stomach known as proton pump inhibitors (PPI medicines) for a long period of time (a year or longer). Tell your healthcare provider if you have a bone fracture, especially in the hip, wrist, or spine.
Severe skin reactions: VOQUEZNA can cause rare, but severe skin reactions that may affect any part of your body. These serious skin reactions may need to be treated in a hospital and may be life threatening:
- Skin rash which may have blistering, peeling, or bleeding on any part of your skin.
- You may also have fever, chills, body aches, shortness of breath, or enlarged lymph nodes.

If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking VOQUEZNA and call your healthcare provider right away. These symptoms may be the first sign of a severe skin reaction.

Low vitamin B-12 levels: VOQUEZNA lowers the amount of acid in your stomach. Stomach acid is needed to absorb Vitamin B12 properly. Tell your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of low vitamin B12 levels, including irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, tingling or numbness in the arms or legs, muscle weakness, pale skin, feeling tired, or mood changes. Talk with your healthcare provider about the risk of low vitamin B12 levels if you have been on VOQUEZNA for a long time.
Low magnesium levels in the body can happen in people who take VOQUEZNA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms of low magnesium levels, including seizures, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, jitteriness, muscle aches or weakness, or spasms of the hands, feet, or voice.
Stomach growths (fundic gland polyps): A certain type of stomach growth called fundic gland polyps may happen in people who take another type of medicine that reduces acid in your stomach known as proton pump inhibitors (PPI medicines) for a long time. Talk with your healthcare provider about the possibility of fundic gland polyps if you have been on VOQUEZNA for a long time.

The most common side effects of VOQUEZNA for treatment of Erosive Esophagitis or relief of heartburn related to gastroesophageal reflux disease include:

stomach inflammation
diarrhea
stomach bloating
stomach pain
nausea
indigestion
constipation
high blood pressure
urinary tract infection

These are not all the possible side effects of VOQUEZNA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects.

You are encouraged to report suspected adverse reactions by contacting Phathom Pharmaceuticals at 1-888-775-PHAT (7428) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 orwww.fda.gov/medwatch.

Please seePatient Information and fullPrescribing Information for VOQUEZNA.

11/26 US-VPZ-26-0355

Source: BrandPoint

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