Patients find help through Partnership for Prescription Asst.

In just over two years, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) has connected four million individuals who are uninsured or lack adequate healthcare coverage, including more than 180,000 in Georgia, to programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. The PPA - sponsored by America's pharmaceutical research companies - is the largest private-sector patient assistance effort helping low-income, uninsured and underinsured people obtain their medicines through more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs, including 180 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. More than 2,500 brandname and generic prescription medicines are available through the participating programs.

Cora Simpson of Lexington, Kentucky, became the four millionth person helped by the Partnership for Prescription Assistance. The milestone was marked by a visit to Lexington by the program's national spokesman, TV talk show host Montel Williams. Simpson, a paraplegic as a result of a gunshot wound she suffered years ago, said she learned about the program while watching television. Simpson takes four medicines a day and found nearly 10 programs through the PPA that could potentially help.

"The PPA is continuing to make tremendous inroads by assisting struggling Americans who need it most," said Billy Tauzin, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). "We have worked tirelessly to make sure patients across the country are aware of the help available through the PPA, and we will continue to do so. In the coming months, the PPA buses will be making stops in hundreds of cities, reaching out to even more people who are either unaware of the program or need help enrolling."

Williams, an Emmy-winning syndicated talk show host, says people all across the country have told him that they're benefiting from the program. So far, the buses have traveled 150,000 miles to more than 1,500 cities in all 50 states.

"Throughout my career I've tried to help people in need, and being involved in the Partnership for Prescription Assistance has given me a great opportunity to do just that," said Williams. "As a patient with multiple sclerosis, I know there are millions of Americans who don't have access to the prescription medicines they need to live healthy lives. Fortunately, the PPA provides a helping hand to those people."

More than 1,300 community groups, healthcare providers and patient advocacy organizations across the country, including 65 in Georgia, are working with America's pharmaceutical research companies to help spread the word about the PPA. Georgia partners include: Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, American Diabetes Association, Community Health Charities of Georgia and the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia.

Patients who need help should call the PPA's toll-free phone number (1- 888-4PPA-NOW), where trained operators field calls in more than 150 languages, or visit the easy-to-use Web site(www.pparx.org). In addition, the PPA provides information on nearly 10,000 free healthcare clinics and has connected more than 163,340 patients with clinics and healthcare providers in their communities.