by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Margaret Rode, PharmacyChecker.com | Jun 10, 2010 | Drug Prices
“Free drug program” is the phrase often used to describe Prescription Assistance Programs, or PAPs—programs run by pharmaceutical companies that help qualifying American consumers acquire prescription medication. Sometimes PAPs cover a patient’s full drug costs, but in many cases they only provide a discount. Qualifying is not easy and there’s a lot of paperwork, but we’re supportive in exploring all useful options when it comes to affording medication.
Access
Consumers can find these programs through their doctors, pharmacists, community clinics, directly from the drug companies or on the Internet. There are three major sites which provide information on who can apply and how to take advantage of the benefits: www.rxassist.org (created by Volunteers in Health Care, a Brown University Center for Primary Care and Prevention resource), www.pparx.org (led, in part, by the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America) which offers a useful eligibility screening questionnaire), and www.needymeds.org (which earns revenue though advertising and has a clickable map for national and local programs). (more…)
Tagged with: affordable prescriptions, Drug Prices, Medicare, pharmaceutical companies, save money
by Gabriel Levitt, President, PharmacyChecker.com and Prescription Justice | Jun 2, 2010 | Politics
Senator Byron Dorgan (D-SD), who is leaving congress at the end of this term, continues to stand up to the pharmaceutical industry and on behalf of American consumers, as he is once again trying to push forward legislation that legalizes drug importation in a manner that could make prescription medication more affordable. In December of 2009, Dorgan introduced an amendment to H.R. 3590: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to legalize drug importation, which received 51 yeas and 48 nays, falling short of the 60 votes needed for passage. Now Dorgan plans to introduce his legislation as an amendment to the food safety bill, which is sponsored by John Dingell (D-Mich). Dingell, however, is an adamant opponent to drug importation and is against attaching the amendment to his bill. Read the details in The Hill.
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Tagged with: Dorgan, Drug Prices, Healthcare Reform, Online Pharmacies, personal drug importation, pharmaceutical companies, phrma, policy
by Gabriel Levitt, President, PharmacyChecker.com and Prescription Justice | May 25, 2010 | Drug Prices
In sharp contrast to major increases in U.S. brand name drug prices, prices on brand name medication from online pharmacies dispensing from abroad have decreased over the past 18 months according to our most recent price analysis. Looking at ten popular brand name medications, prices on eight products decreased by 7% to 26% and increased for only two products. During the same period, U.S. pharmacy prices increased by 7% to 24%, or an average 15%, excluding Prevacid which dropped in price due to generic competition. The increase in U.S. prices is consistent with figures recently reported by AARP. American consumers can now save on average 73% on brand name drugs purchased from Canadian or other international online pharmacies compared to domestic bricks and mortar pharmacies. For details click here.
Tagged with: AARP, Canadian pharmacies, Drug Prices, international pharmacies
