Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Prescription Assistance Programs: Are They Worth It?

Use of Prescription Drug Samples and Patient Assistance Programs, and the Role of Doctor–Patient Communication

“…14 Much less is known about seniors' participation in PAPs and very little data exist on the use of these programs. [15][16][17][18][19][20] In a telephone survey of PAPs, only 4% of programs would state how many people they had helped, which ranged from single digits to over 10,000. 19,20 Physicians report provision of free samples as one of their most frequently used strategies for reducing patients' out-ofpocket costs.…”

What is the Evidence for Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Programs?: A Systematic Review

“…Thus, it is timely to examine the impact that PAPs have on improving access to medications and ultimately patient health outcomes from a clinical, economic and humanistic perspective. 13 An initial task must be to assess the current state of knowledge and research on these programs. The purpose of this review is to provide a systematic description of primary studies of PAPs in the commercially published and grey literature ⋆.…”

Drug Company–Sponsored Patient Assistance Programs: A Viable Safety Net?

“…These programs have been advocated as a “safety net for millions of needy Americans who are not eligible for comprehensive assistance programs and [are] unable to afford their medications.”6 Further, a majority of nonprofit clinics that serve largely un- and underinsured patients direct scarce resources toward helping their patients obtain medications through PAPs 7. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) estimates that its Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) program, which it launched in 2005 to bring together a variety of private and public programs, has helped 5.5 million Americans 8…”