A Declaration for Affordable Medicine

Medicines can only work in patients who can take them. If we have medicines today to treat people and they can’t access them, then we have to make changes. That’s why we launched the Access Our Medicine Initiative.

The Access Our Medicine Initiative launched in April 2014 inviting people to sign an online declaration with a simple statement – that everyone should have access to affordable medicine. Since then, over 75,000 people from 160 countries and a diverse range of organizations representing more than 400 million people have signed the Declaration at www.accessourmedicine.com.

Why are so many people interested?

Screen Shot Dec 11 75K+Signatures

Even with the Affordable Care Act, over 30 million Americans will not be able to afford their medicine. People are making sacrifices for their medicine, or are risking their health by sacrificing their medicine. Nobody should have to choose between filling prescriptions and buying groceries.

As part of the Access Our Medicine Initiative, we want to support critical organizations such as NeedyMeds offering immediate support to those patients and families needing access to medicine. I’m grateful to have NeedyMeds’ support on the Access Our Medicine Declaration and I find it particularly important to support their Generic Assistance Program.

The Generic Assistance Program is more critical than ever with the shocking rise in generic drug prices. A few weeks ago CBS News covered the story of patient Barbara Heller whose cost for one 3-month refill for a generic medicine went from $94 to $1,212 this year. The rise in prices is such a concern that the U.S. Senate held a hearing last month, featuring testimony from Representative Elijah Cummings, to investigate the rising costs. Senator Bernie Sanders cited examples from the 1,600 patient stories submitted on his website and patient Carol Ann Riha asked legislators about putting her increased medication costs on her credit card, Do I pay for food? Do I pay for gasoline?”

ElijahCummings_AccesstoMedicine

The time is now. We must address rising prices and encourage solutions to make medicine affordable for all. It is important to our goals, and to those change-makers we are working with to find solutions, to demonstrate the voices of this issue and collect 100,000 signatures on the online declaration at www.accessourmedicine.com. To get this issue on the national agenda, we need everybody to join the conversation including YOU. Please add your voice today.

 

– Alison Lawton, founder of the Access Our Medicine Initiative

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7 Comments

  1. It really is disgusting that we even need to do this. I do believe some
    generics don’t work well either, especially antidepressants. I take one that is about $35/month, which really doesn’t work. Even having a prescription plan, the name brand would cost $1200/month! This is insane. Big pharma needs to be held accountable. Why can other countries keep meds affordable, but ours cannot (or will not)? A lot of our elderly population need every cent they have. Just by watching the news, you see how many mentally ill people need better, more affordable access also.

    I thInk this country really needs to evaluate our l lobbying policy, so the large industries don’t dictate the rules and rules here.

  2. I would like to know if you can help me buy my nexium it cost $90.00 for 3 momths and my proair inhaler it cost $ 90.00 for 3 months.I am on social security and don’t havr much left over after I pay my bills and food.Please if you can help me I would appriciate it very much,God Bless.

  3. I am not able to take medicine for my bladder, for intertidal cystis,, the med Elmiron is so high just for 30 pills. or buy my eye drops Travest Z for my glacoma, Also my muscle relaxer is high for 30 pills is 68.00 my cousin did help me on the eye drops some when she could,, since she has glacoma also. have never got any help on my medicines, I have fibromyalgia,, and just had treatment for tongue cancer 3:years ago, I have had no insurance for long time,, charity paid on my cancer treatments. With me paying co- pays. I have a lot more health issues like scardcord in my lungs,, have to have scans done on lungs or x-rays. I am 63 and can’t work,, was turned down twice for disability. I wouldnt get too much anyway,, but every little bit helps some. It is sad to live in United States and can’t afford meds. I pray for everyone who can’t afford their medicines. I live in a lot pain from fibromyalgia andvroster arthritis. Thanks for letting me post!

    1. Kathy, give our helpline a call at (800) 503-6897 and let’s see if we can find a program that can help!

  4. Thank you so much for your help,, I am getting Skelatin and maybe Lyrica for free. God Bless you P.S. I am checking on my eye drops for glacoma also. I recommend if you need help on your medicines to give this number above a call.

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Welcome to the NeedyMeds Voice! We look forward to presenting you with timely, provocative pieces on healthcare reform, patient advocacy, medication and healthcare access, and other health-related news. Our goals are to educate, enlighten, and elucidate; together, we will try to make sense of the myriad and ongoing healthcare-related changes in the U.S. today.