Hank’s Underwriting Guide to Rx provides essential information on prescription pharmaceuticals. It also excludes underwriting-irrelevant information which makes up the vast majority of the content found in clinical Rx reference sources.

The essential information included in the Guide consists of all proprietary names, approved and “off-label” (unapproved) uses, effects of the drug on lab tests, and what we call CAUTIONS and RED FLAGS, which are specifically focused on insurability concerns.


Can I see some of the Guide’s drug templates before licensing?

To access an Rx Guide sample (consisting of 10 drug entries) please visit http://hankgeorgeinc.com/rxdemo/ and enter the following information:

Username: prospectus
Password: 2007rx


How do I use The Guide?

Underwriters can search for drugs by either generic or proprietary (brand name) using the search engine, or by locating the drug’s name in the alpha index.

Once you’ve found the drug you’re looking for, just click on the drug name and you will be linked to our report on that drug.


Where do I go for more information about the Guide?

A full downloadable prospectus that explains all aspects of the Guide as well as pricing & leasing information is available here.

Any questions about the Guide can be directed to Esther Ledesma. She can be reached by email at ledesmae@aol.com, by phone at (414) 328-9010, and by fax at (414) 328-8929.


What sources of information were used to compile the Guide?

The information used to create each drug’s profile came from a variety of sources including medication details published by pharmaceutical companies, studies and reports published in the world medical literature, reports from the Food and Drug Administration, information published on the Internet and Hank’s extensive knowledge base and experience as an author and educator specializing in this field for over 25 years.

To make sure that we have the latest information, we subscribe to almost 100 medical journals, as well as accessing major databases that provide research access to the medical literature. All of these sources are used on an ongoing basis to make certain we have the broadest feasible coverage of this subject in the Guide.


Is every possible prescription drug included in the Guide?

By October 1 all of the drugs that really matter in terms of mortality risk will be included.  The Guide will be usable on October 1 and should meet 98% of any underwriter's needs.

By December 31, all of the drugs approved for use in the USA will be included.

Note: Between October 1 and December 31 access to the Guide is free; the actual lease period for which the new users are paying does not start until January 1, 2007.


What if there is a drug not listed in the Guide?

After Dec 31/06 we’ll immediately handle any omissions of FDA approved drugs* submitted by underwriters from licensed companies.  The Rx Guide is a living document and will only be made better through partnerships with licensing companies. We’ll send a complete report on the drug, formatted akin to those on the site, directly to the company in question, and update the web-site.  

Our plan is to ultimately expand the guide to cover all Canadian drugs, then all UK and Irish drugs.

*Underwriters may encounter applicants who come from abroad or have had their medical care outside the USA, where drugs unapproved (perhaps even unknown) here may be referenced. If an underwriter encounters such a scenario, Hank George Inc. will do our best to track that drug down and report on it.


Why does the Guide show both “approved” and “other” uses for medications?

Nearly 1 in 4 prescriptions in North America are written on an “off-label” basis (defined as not an officially-approved use) and this trend is increasing. Most clinical Rx guides, including the Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR), provide no information on “off-label” Rx use. Some others have, at best, a comparative smattering of mentions of this practice for some drugs. We’ve done – and continue to do – extensive research in the literature so that we can provide comprehensive information on “off-label” uses. This means the underwriter is fully equipped to relate what has been prescribed to the stated medical history and thereby avoid many mistaken assumptions as to the actual impairment under scrutiny.


What is the purpose of “Cautions” in the Guide’s reports on each drug?

Under this heading we address all nuances of the drug that could either alter the likely diagnosis or the decision as to whether the risk might be assessed as a BEST, AVERAGE or WORST case scenario. These considerations include mode of delivery (pill, injection, patch, etc.), dose prescribed and times taken, use in specific age groups,
underwriting-significant side effects and implications of the use of that drug in context with other Rx also being taken.


What is the purpose of “Red Flags” in the Guide’s reports on each drug?

It gives underwriters a wide range of insights into the implications of the drug in medical history context, such as signs and symptoms, diagnostic tests advised or undertaken, physicians’ recommendations to the patient, consultation with specialists, use in conjunction with hospitalization or emergency room visits, and so on.

Our Red Flags also suggest when to consider ordering medical records. However, the Guide does not make any recommendations as to underwriting actions. This would be
inappropriate for two reasons:

1. Rx details are just one element in the context of the whole risk.

2. Such advice might conflict with the underwriter’s manual guidelines and/or the insurer’s underwriting philosophy.


Licensing Questions:


Why is the Guide offered on a licensing basis, rather than sold outright?

The Guide is not a “static” product or one that needs only widely-spaced updating, as would be the case with medical underwriting manuals. Rather, the sheer volume of changes in clinical pharmacology affecting the topics covered in the Guide mandates continuous updating. For this reason, annual licensing of access makes more sense functionally than selling the Guide, as is, on a onetime sale basis.


How do I license the guide?

Please fill out the lease application form available here:

Send completed form to:

Esther Ledesma
Fax: 414-328-8929
Email: ledesmae@aol.com

Do not send payment with the lease application. Upon acceptance of the completed application form, a license agreement will be sent back for review and signature. An invoice will also be sent at that time.


How much does it cost to license Hank’s Underwriting Guide to Rx?