Together Rx Access Prescription Drug Discount Card Program To Launch Advertising Campaign

Pharmaceutical companies involved with Together Rx Access, a prescription drug discount card program established earlier this year, next month will begin an advertising campaign to promote the program on 12 cable networks, radio stations in 34 markets and newspapers in several cities, the AP/Richmond Times-Dispatch reports (Agovino, AP/Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3/24).

The program, announced in January, is a collaborative effort among Abbott Laboratories; AstraZeneca; Bristol-Myers Squibb; GlaxoSmithKline; Janssen Pharmaceutica and Ortho-McNeil, subsidiaries of Johnson & Johnson; Novartis; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Takeda Pharmaceuticals; and Tap Pharmaceutical Products.

U.S. residents younger than age 65 who are not eligible for Medicare and do not have public or private prescription drug coverage qualify for the program. In addition, annual income levels for program participants cannot exceed $30,000 for individuals, $40,000 for couples, $50,000 for a family of three and $60,000 for a family of four. The pharmaceutical companies estimate that about 80% -- or 36 million -- of the 45 million uninsured U.S. residents qualify for the program.

The program provides discounts that range from 25% to 40% on 275 brand-name medications. Each of the pharmaceutical companies decided which of their products the program will cover and the level of discounts on those medications (California Healthline, 1/12).

Program Executive Director Roba Whiteley did not provide specific information about the cost of the ad campaign but said that the pharmaceutical companies were "spending a robust amount." Whiteley also said that the ad campaign will make an effort to reach communities with large numbers of African-American and Latino residents, who account for a larger proportion of uninsured residents (AP/Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3/24).