Python regex replace text between two strings multiple times while keeping the strings

Question

I have a document linked below. I would like to replace all text between certain strings that appear multiple times, but also keep the delimiter strings intact.

For example, in this doc:

KINERET

Products Affected


PA Criteria

Criteria Details

•  Kineret

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications, Some Medically accepted Indications.

Off-Label Uses

JIA

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Age Restrictions  N/A

HYPERSENSITIVITY TO PROTEINS DERIVED FROM E.COLI

DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC INFANTILE NEUROLOGICAL,
CUTANEOUS AND ARTICULAR SYNDROME, RHEUMATOID
ARTHRITIS OR JIA

Prescriber
Restrictions

RHEUMATOLOGIST, DERMATOLOGIST,NEUROLOGIST OR
PEDIATRICIAN

Coverage
Duration

4 MO INITIAL, 1 YEAR ON REAPPROVAL BASED ON RESPONSE
TO TX

Other Criteria

RA CRITERIA. DOC OF INTOLERANCE OR FAILURE TO
RESPOND TO A 2MO TRIAL OF A DMARD THERAPY, SUCH AS
METHOTREXATE, ARAVA(LEFLUNOMIDE), PLAQUENIL
(HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE), OR SULFASALAZINE AND TRIAL
AND FAILURE WITH HUMIRA AND ENBREL. JIA CRITERA:
INADEQUATE RESP, INTOLERANCE, OR CONTRAINDICATION
TO CORTICOSTEROIDS AND TRIAL AND FAILURE WITH
HUMIRA.

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



87









•  Korlym

KORLYM

Products Affected


Off-Label Uses

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS UNRELATED TO ENDOGENOUS
CUSHINGS, PREGNANCY, USE OF SIVASTATIN OR
LOVASTATIN AND CYP3A SUBSTRATES W NARROW
THERAPEUTIC RANGE, CONCURRENT LONGTERM
CORTICOSTEROID USE, WOMEN W HX OF UNEXPLAINED
VAGINAL BLEEDING, WOMEN W ENDOMETRIAL
HYPERPLASIA W ATYPIA OR ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA

Required
Medical
Information

COVERED FOR INDICATION OF CONTROLLING
HYPERGLYCEMIA SECONDARY TO HYPERCORTISOLISM IN
ADULT PATIENTS WITH ENDOGENOUS CUSHINGS SYNDROME
WHO HAVE TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS OR GLUCOSE
INTOLERANCE AND HAVE FAILED SURGERY OR ARE NOT
CANDIDATES FOR SURGERY.

Age Restrictions  N/A

N/A

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Other Criteria

N/A

6MO AT A TIME

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



88









•  Krystexxa

KRYSTEXXA

Products Affected


Off-Label Uses

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

ANAPHYLAXIS AND INFUSIONS REACTIONS (BOXED
WARNING), CONTRAINDICATED IN PT  W/G6PD DEFICIENCY
DUE TO RISK OF HEMOLYSIS AND
METHEMOGLOBINEMIA,GOUT FLARES DURING INITIATION OF
TX

Required
Medical
Information

DOCUMENTATION OF CHRONIC GOUT IN ADULT PATIENTS
REFRACTORY TO CONVENTIONAL THERAPY AND 3MO TRIAL
OF XO INHIBITOR (ALLOPURINOL ,ULORIC).

Age Restrictions  N/A

N/A

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Other Criteria

N/A

6MO AT A TIME

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



89









KUVAN

Products Affected


•  Kuvan

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

Off-Label Uses

N/A

Age Restrictions  N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Other Criteria

2MO AT A TIME INITIAL 3 MO THEREAFTER

PRIOR AUTHORIZATION IS TO MONITOR IF PATIENT IS A
RESPONDER OR NONRESPONDER AFTER THERAPY HAS BEEN
INITIATED FOR  2MONTHS. IF PHENYLALANINE LEVELS HAVE
DECREASED AFTER THE 2 MONTHS, THEN AUTHORIZATION
WILL CONTINUE.

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



90









KYNAMRO

Products Affected


•  Kynamro

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All Medically-accepted Indications.

Off-Label Uses

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

HEPATIC IMPAIRMENT, MOD OR SEV (CHILD-PUGH CAT B OR
C), LIVER DISEASE, ACTIVE, INCLUDING UNEXPLAINED
PERSISTANT ELEVATIONS OF SERUM TRANSAMINASES

DIAGNOSIS OF HOMOZYGOUS FAMILIAL
HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA, LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

Age Restrictions  N/A

ENDOCRINOLOGIST OR CARDIOLOGIST

6 MO WITH DOCUMENTED CLINICAL RESP TO THERAPY FOR
RENEWAL

Other Criteria  MAY ALSO COVER HETEROZYGOUS FAMILIAL
HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA WHEN CORONARY
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS IS PRESENT AND UNCONTROLLED
HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA WHEN ALL FORMULARY AGENTS
HAVE BEEN TRIED AND FAILED AT MAXIMUM TOLERATED
DOSES.

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



91


LAZANDA

Products Affected


•  Lazanda

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

Off-Label Uses

N/A

OPIOD NON-TOLERANT PATIENTS

Age Restrictions  N/A

N/A

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

1YR AT A TIME

Other Criteria

N/A








Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



92









•  Lemtrada

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

LEMTRADA

Products Affected


Off-Label Uses

N/A

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Diagnosis of a relapsing form of MS (eg,
relapsing-remitting MS, secondary-progressive MS with relapses,
progressive-relapsing MS with relapses). One of the following: 1) Patient
has not been previously treated with alemtuzumab, and patient has history
of failure following a trial for at least 4 weeks or history of intolerance or
contraindication to 2 of the following: interferon beta-1a (Avonex or
Rebif), interferon beta-1b (Betaseron, Extavia), glatiramer acetate
(Copaxone or Glatopa), dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera), teriflunomide
(Aubagio), fingolimod (Gilenya), peginterferon beta-1a (Plegridy),
natalizumab (Tysabri), or 2) Patient has previously received treatment
with alemtuzumab, and at least 12 months have or will have elapsed since
the first treatment with alemtuzumab, and patient has not already received
the FDA-recommended lifetime limit of two (2) treatment courses of
alemtuzumab. Patient is not receiving alemtuzumab in combination with
another disease modifying agent (eg, interferon beta preparations,
glatiramer acetate, natalizumab, fingolimod, or teriflunomide).

Age Restrictions  N/A

N/A

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Other Criteria

N/A

MS: 12 MONTHS, MAX 2 YRS OF THERAPY

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



93









LETAIRIS (AMBRISENTAN)

Products Affected


•  Ambrisentan

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

Off-Label Uses

N/A

PATIENTS WITH SEVERE HEPATIC DISEASE, SEVERE ANEMIA.
PREGNANT PATIENTS

PREVIOUS MEDICATIONS USED, RESULTS OF ACUTE
VASOREACTIVITY TESTING,

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Age Restrictions  N/A

Other Criteria

N/A

PULMONOLOGIST, CARDIOLOGIST

1 YR AT A TIME

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



94









LEUKINE

Products Affected


PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

Off-Label Uses

N/A

•  Leukine INJ 250MCG

CONCOMITANT USE WITH CHEMOTHERAPY OR
RADIOTHERAPY OR USE WITHIN 24 HOURS

Age Restrictions  N/A

N/A

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Other Criteria

6MO AT A TIME

ALLOGENEIC BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION, MYELOID
RECONSTITUTION IN HLA-MATCHED RELATED DONORS,
AUTOLOGOUS BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT, MYELOID
RECONSTITUTION FOLLOWING TRANSPLANT IN PATIENTS
WITH NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA, HODGKIN'S DISEASE, AND
ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA, BONE MARROW
TRANSPLANT, DELAY OR FAILURE OF MYELOID
ENGRAFTMENT, FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA, IN ACUTE
MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA FOLLOWING INDUCTION
CHEMOTHERAPY, PROPHYLAXIS HARVESTING OF
PERIPHERAL BLOOD STEM CELLS, PERIPHERAL BLOOD STEM
CELL GRAFT, AUTOLOGOUS, MYELOID RECONSTITUTION
FOLLOWING TRANSPLANT IN PATIENTS MOBILIZED WITH
GRANULOCYTE MACROPHAGE COLONY STIMULATING
FACTOR.  ALSO BVD DECISIONS

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



95











LEUPROLIDE

Products Affected
•  Eligard
•  Leuprolide Acetate INJ
•  Lupron Depot (1-month)

•  Lupron Depot (3-month)
•  Lupron Depot (6-month)
•  Lupron Depot-ped (1-month)
•  Lupron Depot-ped (3-month)

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

Off-Label Uses

N/A

Age Restrictions  N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Other Criteria

1YR AT A TIME

LEUPROLIDE ACETATE INJECTION IS INDICATED IN THE
PALLIATIVE TX OF ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER, TX OF
CHILDREN WITH CENTRAL PRECOCIOUS
PUBERTY,ENDOMETRIOSIS AND UTERINE
LEIOMYOMATA(FIBROIDS).  ALSO BVD DECISIONS

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



96


LIDOCAINE

Products Affected


PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

Off-Label Uses

N/A

•  Lidocaine PTCH 5%

DOCUMENTATION OF POST HERPETIC NEUROPATHY

N/A

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Age Restrictions  N/A

1 YR AT A TIME

Other Criteria

N/A








Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



97









LUMIZYME

Products Affected


PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

Off-Label Uses

N/A

•  Lumizyme

N/A

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Prescriber
Restrictions

Coverage
Duration

Age Restrictions  N/A

1YR AT A TIME

Other Criteria

N/A

ENZYME TESTING THAT DEMONSTRATES REDUCED GAA
ENZYME ACTIVITY OR BY DNA TESTING FOR MUTATIONS IN
THE GAA GENE

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



98

I want to remove all text between sections that say "Required Medical Information" and "Other Criteria".

So an example output (for the first two drugs, Kineret and Korlym) would be KINERET

Products Affected


PA Criteria

Criteria Details

•  Kineret

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications, Some Medically accepted Indications.

Off-Label Uses

JIA

Exclusion
Criteria

Required
Medical
Information

Other Criteria

RA CRITERIA. DOC OF INTOLERANCE OR FAILURE TO
RESPOND TO A 2MO TRIAL OF A DMARD THERAPY, SUCH AS
METHOTREXATE, ARAVA(LEFLUNOMIDE), PLAQUENIL
(HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE), OR SULFASALAZINE AND TRIAL
AND FAILURE WITH HUMIRA AND ENBREL. JIA CRITERA:
INADEQUATE RESP, INTOLERANCE, OR CONTRAINDICATION
TO CORTICOSTEROIDS AND TRIAL AND FAILURE WITH
HUMIRA.

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



87









•  Korlym

KORLYM

Products Affected


Off-Label Uses

N/A

Exclusion
Criteria

PA Criteria

Criteria Details

Indications

All FDA-approved Indications.

TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS UNRELATED TO ENDOGENOUS
CUSHINGS, PREGNANCY, USE OF SIVASTATIN OR
LOVASTATIN AND CYP3A SUBSTRATES W NARROW
THERAPEUTIC RANGE, CONCURRENT LONGTERM
CORTICOSTEROID USE, WOMEN W HX OF UNEXPLAINED
VAGINAL BLEEDING, WOMEN W ENDOMETRIAL
HYPERPLASIA W ATYPIA OR ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA

Required
Medical
Information

Other Criteria

N/A

6MO AT A TIME

Formulary ID 20387 Version 16



88

The code I have so far is this:

        # Remove all text between "Required Medical Information" and "Other Criteria"
    start_section_header_regexes = [
        r'Required[\s]Medical[\s]Information',
        # These sections may appear before Required Medical Information but are inconsistent
        #r'Off[\s]Label[\s]Uses',
        #r'Exclusion[\s]Criteria',
    ]
    end_section_header_regexes = [
        r'Other[\s]Criteria',
    ]
    print(input_text)
    for start_section in start_section_header_regexes:
        for end_section in end_section_header_regexes:
            pattern = re.compile(rf'({start_section})[\s\S]*?({end_section})', re.IGNORECASE)
            input_text = re.sub(pattern, r'\1 \2', input_text)

I've tested in an online regex tester and seen that the regex does indeed correctly detect two capture groups containing the text that I want to keep: https://regex101.com/r/vgV8ky/2

However, when running the code, input_text still contains the text between "Required Medical Information" and "Other Criteria". What am I doing wrong?

I should note that the doc listed above may not be wholly representative of what the text actually is. I'm using pdf2text to convert a PDF into text, but I think some of the newline characters aren't pasted into browsers in the exact form that they are in the PDF.

Thanks

Answer 1

I got it, it was because there were more than one \s character between each word in "Required Medical Information" and "Other Criteria". I tweaked the start and end section regexes to be r'Required[\s]*?Medical[\s]*?Information' r'Other[\s]*?Criteria' respectively.