Pharmacy Status Reporting Tool Activated at Request of Three States
Washington, D.C. – As the string of deadly tornadoes ravaged the Southeast United States, officials at Rx Response began immediately monitoring the storms’ impact on the flow of medicine in the affected areas. On Friday, April 29th, Rx Response elevated its engagement status from Standby to Alert.
Also on Friday, Rx Response activated its Pharmacy Status Reporting Tool at the request of the Alabama and Tennessee Departments of Health. Red Cross officials requested its activation for Mississippi as well. The Pharmacy Status Reporting Tool provides emergency management officials and the public with online information about the status of open pharmacies in areas affected by large scale disasters. (The tool can be seen at http://www.rxresponse.org/PharmacyStatus/Pages/ActivePharmacyReporting.aspx)
In response to the tornadoes, the Governor of Alabama issued an executive order authorizing pharmacies to provide 30-day refills for patients lacking prescriptions if the patient brings an empty pill bottle or insurance documents pertaining to the prescription. This order only applies to non-controlled substances. The Alabama Health Department also released a voucher form to pay for prescriptions for persons who qualify. The form is available at www.rxresponse.org.
As part of its response to the tornadoes, Rx Response facilitated a request from the American Red Cross to find an area in the disaster zone to park a relief vehicle. Rx Response was able to fulfill that request within 30 minutes thanks to the help of the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA). Both the American Red Cross and HDMA are members of the Rx Response Coordinating Body, the governing body that helps manage the activities of Rx Response.
“We will continue to monitor the impact of the tornadoes on the supply system to help ensure that medicine gets to patients in need,” said Rx Response Director Erin Mullen, R.Ph., Ph.D.
On a related front, Rx Response coalition member, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) is also helping storm victims. A disaster relief form is available for patients who have been affected by the recent tornados and flooding to help expedite their application for prescription assistance. Patients, caregivers and healthcare providers can contact the PPA at www.PPARX.org or 1-888-477-2669. PPA is a coalition of more than 1,500 national, state and local partners working with America’s biopharmaceutical companies to connect uninsured and financially struggling patients to patient assistance programs providing medicines for free or nearly free.
Rx Response is an initiative of America’s bio-pharmaceutical supply system that helps ensure the continued flow of medicine in a severe public health emergency. It was inspired by the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina.
Rx Response members include:
· American Hospital Association (AHA)
· American Red Cross
· Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
· Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPHA)
· Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA)
· National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)
· National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)
· Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)