January 3, 2006

What would make this press release really useful is data about

1) the number and dollar value of prescriptions served by the Partnership for Prescription Assistance
2) the approximate dollar thresholds of income v. expenses under which PPA help may be available (if mortgage and student loan calculators can be readily available on-line, why not this sort of info?)
3) the percentage of Americans who are able to get the best recommended medicine for their treatment before and after PPA

2006 Physicians’ Desk Reference to Promote Partnership for Prescription Assistance

More than 500,000 Physicians to Receive First of Its Kind Insert

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire/ — More than 500,000 doctors will soon receive the 2006 Physicians’ Desk Reference including, for the first time, an informational insert about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). The PPA is a national program helping patients in need access prescription medicines for free or nearly free through public and private patient assistance programs. The insert is the latest in a multifaceted campaign to educate physicians and other health care providers on how they can improve the lives of uninsured patients through the PPA.

“We know that many patients struggle to afford their prescription medicines and are unaware that help is available. That is why the pharmaceutical research industry is leading an aggressive campaign to inform doctors and prepare them to educate patients about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance,” said Billy Tauzin, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). “This new effort demonstrates our commitment to locate, inform and mobilize as many doctors as possible.”

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance provides a single point of access to more than 475 patient assistance programs through a toll-free number (1-888-4PPA-NOW) and user-friendly Web site (http://www.pparx.org/). Patients will also receive information on government programs for which they may qualify, such as the new Medicare drug benefit, Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Programs.

“I know from my own practice that most patients are unaware of patient assistance programs or do not realize they qualify,” said Mary E. Frank, M.D., board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). “That’s why this effort to reach and educate physicians across the country and across specialties through a resource they use on a daily basis is so critical. The ultimate goal is the right medication for the right patient at the right time and, thus, an improved health outcome.”

More than 60 national organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, Easter Seals, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, United Way of America, as well as a fast-growing list of state and local organizations, are working with America’s pharmaceutical companies to spread the word about the program.

To find out if there are patient assistance programs that may meet their needs, patients should call toll-free 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) to speak with a trained specialist or visit http://www.pparx.org/.