Partnership for Prescription Assistance Celebrates Three Year Anniversary; Helps Nearly 5 Million Uninsured Patients Across Uni...( WASHINGTON April 7 2008 -- This ...),Health

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance - a nationwide effort sponsored by America's pharmaceutical research companies - is celebrating its third anniversary of helping uninsured and financially-struggling Americans get access to the medicines they need for free or nearly free. Since its launch in April 2005, the PPA has helped nearly 5 million patients nationwide. Also in that time the PPA bus tour, the "Help is Here Express," has traveled the country, visiting all 50 states and more than 2,000 cities, to educate people about patient assistance programs.

"For three years, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance has been a resounding success, and it continues to help thousands of patients every day," said Billy Tauzin, President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). "No one's helped by a medicine that sits on the shelf and is out of reach financially. We're not going to stop after three years; we're going to keep on reaching out across America as long as there are people who need our help."

The "Help is Here Express" is staffed by trained specialists able to quickly help uninsured patients in need access information on more than 475 patient assistance programs, including nearly 200 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. When the "Help is Here Express" moves on, patients can visit PPA's easy-to-use Web site (http://www.pparx.org) or call the toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW) where trained operators field calls in 150 languages.

"With the number of people affected by chronic disease increasing every year, the PPA and its message of hope is now more relevant than ever," Tauzin added. According to the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD), a national coalition working to save lives and reduce health care costs through prevention and management of chronic
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