Group posts Web site for free drug access

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Group posts Web site for free drug access

Last Updated: 2004-04-06 16:05:15 -0400 (Reuters Health)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The drug industry lobbying group PhRMA published

a new Web site on Tuesday aimed at helping poor people get discounted or

free drugs offered by the drug companies.

The drug companies have been under fire in the U.S. Congress and the

media for fighting efforts to import low-cost prescription drugs from

other countries, notably Canada.

The Internet site, at http://www.helpingpatients.org, promises

" one-stop-shopping " for various patient assistance programs, the

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America said.

It connects to a database paid for by the pharmaceutical companies but

also carries information about government and private patient-assistance

programs, PhRMA said.

The group, which advocates on behalf of commercial drug companies, said

patient-assistance programs helped more than 6.2 million underinsured or

uninsured patients fill nearly 18 million prescriptions in 2003.

" The estimated wholesale value of medicines distributed though company

patient assistance programs last year totaled almost $3.4 billion, "

PhRMA said.

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org