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This marks the seventh time the Partnership for Prescription Assistance(PPA), a nationwide effort sponsored by America's pharmaceutical researchcompanies, has been to California. The PPA is a national clearinghouse and asingle point of access to more than 475 patient assistance programs --including nearly 200 sponsored by pharmaceutical companies -- which providefree or nearly free medicines to eligible patients in need. Patients can findout in 10 to 15 minutes free of charge if they may qualify for assistance. Sofar, the PPA has helped more than 250,000 Californians in a little over twoyears. Nationwide, it has helped more than 4.3 million patients.
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In addition to help from the PPA, America's pharmaceutical researchcompanies have already contributed millions of dollars in cash and products toCalifornia's fire victims in an effort spearheaded by three California-basedcompanies -- Amgen Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and ValeantPharmaceuticals International. Other companies making contributions includeAbbott, AstraZeneca LP, Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson &Johnson, Novo Nordisk Inc., Pfizer Inc, Hoffman-LaRoche Inc, Schering-PloughCorporation, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. and Wyeth. Thedonations have been made to a wide range of organizations, including theAmerican Red Cross, AmeriCares, Project Hope, the Southern California WildfireRelief Fund, the After-the-Fires Fund and Direct Relief International.
The national PPA bus tour has visited all 50 states and more than 1,500towns and cities to raise awareness about patient assistance programs. Morethan 1,300 local, state and national partners -- including the CaliforniaArthritis Foundation, La Raza Network and NAMI California -- are also workingwith pharmaceutical research companies to spread the word.
"We are committed to helping uninsured Southern California fire victimswho have lost access to the medicines they need to fight disease and illness,"Billy Tauzin, PhRMA president and CEO, said today. "The 'Help is HereExpress' will be traveling throughout the areas devastated by wildfires. Wewant to do our part by including a way for patient assistance programs toprovide expedited assistance to patients in obtaining their medicines."
The "Help is Here Express" bus traveling through Southern California isequipped with computer terminals and phones and staffed by trained specialistsso patients can find out quickly if they may be eligible for free or nearlyfree medicines. The trained specialists, as well as patients at home whocan't make it to the bus, can visit the PPA's easy-to-use Web site(http://www.pparx.org) or call its toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW).Operators field calls from patients in 150 languages.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)represents the country's leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnologycompanies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients tolive longer, healthier, and more productive lives. PhRMA companies areleading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested anestimated $43 billion in 2006 in discovering and developing new medicines.Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $55.2 billion in 2006.
PhRMA Internet Address: http://www.phrma.org
For information on how innovative medicines save lives, visit:http://www.innovation.org
For information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit:http://www.pparx.org
For information on t
