“Free Drug Programs” – Patient Assistance Programs Require A Lot of Patience
“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…)
