Millions Receive Rx Assistance

The pharmaceutical industry'sefforts to help patients with their drugcosts are paying off. In 2004, patientsacross America received 22,119,664prescriptions with a wholesale valuetopping $4.17 billion, compared with2003 when 18 million prescriptionswere filled with an estimated wholesalevalue of $3.4 billion.

The record level of assistance wasreached in part due to a series of pioneeringnew state programs that serveas clearinghouses for the >275 publicand private prescription assistanceprograms available. Last year, theindustry also initiated a "dynamicforum"on its Web site (www.helpingpatients.org) that made completingthe forms easier and faster.

"Regardless of where you live, helpis available today for those Americanswho are having trouble affording theirprescriptions. No one who needs helpshould go without their lifesavingmedications,"said Billy Tauzin, presidentand chief executive officer of thePharmaceutical Research and Manufacturersof America (PhRMA).