In honor of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness month, AmeriCares teamed with two major pharmaceutical companies to provide respiratory medication for low-income and uninsured patients across the nation.
The nonprofit global health organization received $2.4 million in medicine donations from Sunovion Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca. The record amount translates to approximately 25,000 prescriptions for patients in need, according to AmeriCares.
Donated products include maintenance medications, as well as quick-relief rescue medications used to treat acute asthma attacks, and will be available to hundreds of free clinics and community health centers serving low-income and uninsured patients through AmeriCares’ US Medical Assistance Program. Safety net partners can place orders online and receive their shipments free of charge.
“These are some of the most frequently prescribed respiratory medicines, and some of the most difficult for low-income patients to obtain,” said Leslie McGuire, AmeriCares director of US programs. “Uninsured and underinsured patients can receive treatment in safety net clinics and health centers, but without donated medicines many would leave with scripts in hand they can’t afford to fill. Thanks to AstraZeneca and Sunovion, we are helping patients avoid unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations.”
