Largest Private-Sector Effort to Help Uninsured Pay for Prescription Medicines
WASHINGTON, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA), the largest private-sector effort to assist patients who need help paying for prescription medicines, today issued a landmark report on its progress. According to the report, "Helping One Patient at a Time," the effort is highly successful in directing new patients to prescription assistance programs -- helping more than 600,000 patients in just 100 days. The report also noted that millions more may be missing out on benefits because they are either unaware of or do not think they are eligible for prescription assistance programs.More

Texas does like others and the FDA gives their opinion
Well...tons of other states are doing the same thing so why not Texas. I and many others are not surprised about the FDA's warnings. Part of what they say probably comes from a sense that they are the ones know best and the other may come from the feeling their authority is usurped....I guess it is sort of. Actually, I am glad the states wield their authority so that I know that they still have it. I often think that government is way too big...and that mainly goes for the Feds.

Here is some content from the article "The federal government has warned Gov. Rick Perry that Texas will put the health of its residents at risk and violate federal law if state officials make it easier to import prescription drugs from Canada, as planned.

In a letter dated Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration raised concerns about a provision in Senate Bill 410 — signed into law Saturday and effective Sept. 1 — that requires the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to list on its Web site Canadian pharmacies where Texans can buy prescription medicine needed for long-term ailments." find it here.

Prescription Cards in Baltimore County
Baltimore County started a drug card program in order to help consumers save upwards to 19 percent on frequently prescribed drugs.

"The cards may be used by any county resident and are accepted at more than 150 pharmacies in Baltimore County. A national network of over 57,000 participating retail pharmacies also will honor the discount card, County Executive James T. Smith said in a statement." more here

Do we really have far superior drugs??....
Do we really have far superior drugs in the USA or is that just a bunch of hearsay? I would like to know. I know that many of our drugs manufactured for the US are actually made in other countries. Today many or most of the big name pharmaceutical companies are global. It seems that we get the high prices....same drugs while other countries get low prices...same drugs...who do we believe. Here is letter to the editor that states a biased person's view.Reader takes issue with prescription drug plan
Dear Editor

Slidell Sentry-News
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to an issue that is very dear to the hearts of our members and, indeed, every citizen in our state.

While prescription drugs in America are often higher priced than similar drugs in other countries. We must acknowledge that our drugs are the safest in the world.

It is for this reason that we are most concerned about the legislation introduced by Sen. David Vitter, which allows the importation of drugs from outside the U.S.

New Prescription Program...?
So there is a new prescription program in town...hmmm. I hope they are not just out to take people's money. Cynical me....
Look here

NEW YORK, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a new national program to help patients access prescription medicines, is holding an enrollment drive today at St. Luke's Hospital (East side of Amsterdam Avenue between 113th and 114th Streets) through the "Help Is Here Express" bus tour. The "Help Is Here Express" is traveling across the country to increase awareness of patient assistance programs.



"We are thrilled that patients are responding so strongly to the Partnership for Prescription Assistance -- the program has already matched more than 300,000 people since its launch," said Billy Tauzin, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). "However, there are still millions of people who need help getting access to prescription medicines and that's why we have taken the message on the road with the 'Help Is Here Express'."

New Prescription Drug Program for PA People
Hopefully, this will help those in Pennsylvania...as it talks about in the article, those that need the programs usually are the last to hear about it...or never at all. I am sure that those ones will never see this post.

Here is an excerpt
"Through a toll-free phone line, and a web site, it offers Pennsylvania residents one-stop access to more than 275 public and private drug assistance programs. Many people may be eligible for these free, or low-cost medications, even if they have some health insurance. Assistance programs have been around for decades, but few people take advantage of them, or even know about them."
Go here

Here is the Penn. web program site

Vioxx Lawsuit
Montgomery, AL (PRWEB) May 2, 2005 -- On April 26th, the honorable Judge Rochester ruled against a defense petition to dismiss a Vioxx lawsuit filed by Beasley Allen on behalf of Cheryl Rogers (Circuit or State Court of Clay County in Ashland, Ala, case number CV 03-073, Cheryl Rogers V. Merck).

The suit was filed in August 2003 in Ashland, AL by Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C. on behalf of Cheryl Rogers, the widow of Howard Brad Rogers. The lawsuit contends that Mr. Rogers, a 42-year-old ambulance dispatcher, died from a heart attack on September 4th, 2001, after taking Vioxx for shoulder pain. This case, the country's first involving Vioxx, is slated to go to trial on May 23rd.

Merck had asked the Court to dismiss the lawsuit, contending that Mr. Rogers, who died of a heart attack after being prescribed Vioxx, never took the drug. Lawyers for Beasley Allen disputed Merck's claims and said that they had evidence that Mr. Rogers took the drug before he died.

Jere Beasley, attorney for Cheryl Rogers responded, "The Order was exactly as we expected. Merck's Motion to Dismiss lacked foundation and they had to know it. It was a ploy to discredit our client, a grieving widow and single mother. We have always believed this case to be a strong one and when the jury learns how truly bad Merck's conduct has been, I am convinced they will want to punish the company. We anticipate a jury returning a large verdict. We know from Brad Rogers' medical records that he was prescribed Vioxx and that he was taking it. An autopsy proved that the drug caused his death. We will now have the opportunity to prove our case in the courtroom before a Clay County, Alabama jury.”

According to a motion recently filed by Beasley Allen, Merck violated a protective order by disclosing personal and confidential information to the news media related to Cheryl Rogers and her deceased husband. In addition, the motion cites Merck has violated provisions of HIPAA by disclosing personal medical information pertaining to Mr. Rogers. The motion requests that the court vacate its protective order as it relates to documents produced by Merck.

"Releasing Merck's documents would serve the public interest by exposing its wrongful conduct over the years." Beasley adds. "Clinical tests have proven Vioxx is and was a dangerous drug. It has killed literally thousands of unsuspecting victims who trusted the company and who had no idea that Vioxx caused heart attacks and strokes."

New Prescription Drug Program for Uninsured
WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire/ --The Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a new national program to help patients in need get access to prescription medicines, today launched the "Help Is Here Express" bus tour. The bus tour kicks off during the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Cover the Uninsured Week to inform millions of uninsured patients that they may qualify for assistance in paying for their prescription medicines.
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Since the April 5 launch of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, the program has helped more than 180,000 people match up with patient assistance programs that meet their needs.
article here

A reason to send drug prices higher
It seems that the Feds are going to help the drug companies have a reason to send prices higher in the future. An FDA drug safety office???? Isn't the fed govt. too big as it is? Save us from ourselves....please huge fed. govt. keep us from hurting ourselves and let us pay for it out of our pockets.
Don't get me wrong...I love the USA, but come on...the govt. is too huge for the US public to pay for.
Any way here is an excerpt of the article talking a bout a New FDA Prescription Drug Safety Office.

Glad to hear that Mississippi is helping there people out
And what about all those that don't pay 250-300 dollars for drugs because they can't afford it at all? Well, I am at least glad that something is happening to help those without the means to pay for high priced drugs.
"Dr. Randy easterling is a phyisician in Vicksburg. He says many Mississippians are paying for life preserving drugs out of their own pockets. "These individuals may have to pay 250-300 dollars a month for prescription medications, so this will go a long way to help these individuals."

Easterling joined other healthcare providers Monday in touting a new partnership. It provides the uninsured with a one stop shop of sorts, an internet website and a toll free phone number. Patients can access hundreds of free and discounted drugs.

Dr. Aaron Shirley, of the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation, says "This will be a godsend for those individuals who are having to choose between eating and taking their medicine as prescribed." Prescription Plan for Mississippi