Adherence to an Oral Treatment Plan
“Drugs don’t work in patients who don’t take them.”
– C. Everett Coop, former U.S. Surgeon General
Studies have demonstrated that lack of adherence to a treatment plan is a major reason for treatment failure. The success of an oral treatment plan depends on your ability to follow the plan agreed upon by you and your doctor. When you agree to take medication by mouth, you take on the responsibility of adhering to your treatment as prescribed.
As of May 2026, these are some of the FDA-approved medications to treat myeloma that are taken by mouth: dexamethasone, melphalan, Ninlaro® (ixazomib), Pomalyst® (pomalidomide), Revlimid® (lenalidomide), thalidomide, and Xpovio® (selinexor).
How to achieve the best results
¡ Take the correct medication.
¡ Take the correct dose.
¡ Take the medication on the correct schedule.
¡ Take the medication at the correct time.
¡ Take the medication in the correct manner, such as on an empty stomach or with food.
¡ Take the medication for the prescribed length of time.
Give your treatment plan time to work. If you develop any concerns, or if there is a change in your health, contact your doctor promptly.
Be active in your own healthcare
¡ Do not hesitate to contact your doctor to report side effects or to clarify treatment issues.
¡ If you don’t have health insurance or have inadequate insurance coverage, contact the IMF InfoLine for assistance with identifying financial resources, including drug company-sponsored programs that may help you get the treatment you need.
¡ If your health insurance policy has complex language about coverage and co-pays, the specialty pharmacy filling your prescription has experts trained to help you.
¡ If you feel stressed by the information you have to absorb about your treatment plan, bring a care partner, family member, or friend to your appointments. Always ask for an After Visit Summary (AVS) document to be provided in printed form (although it is also usually available through a web-based patient portal).
¡ If you skip doses or decide not to take the treatment altogether, you must tell your doctor who can assess the state of your myeloma and determine if it may be possible for you to have a “drug holiday” or a lower dose of the treatment.
¡ If you miss a doctor’s appointment , call immediately and schedule a make-up appointment as close to your original date as possible.
¡ Keep the contact information for your healthcare team readily available. Learn what to do if your doctor can’t be reached. Is there a doctor “on call” or should you go to an urgent care or emergency facility?
¡ Learn about treatment safety recommendations, including which baseline and follow-up tests can monitor potential side effects (i.e., fatigue, low blood cell counts, gastrointestinal problems, blood clots).
¡ If you’re not feeling well enough to manage treatment on your own, arrange for help at home and/or support through a social worker, case manager, or nurse.