Many people are faced with the crushing despair of their depressive illness, and flattened finances as well. One may find oneself without health insurance, without any money to spare, only able to handle a simple, minimally paying job, perhaps out of work.
In these situations, one may be able to obtain medications free of charge through Indigent Patient Assistance Programs, which are usually sponsored by drug manufacturers. One must make arrangements through a doctor, it takes some paperwork, and it takes some processing time; but, these programs may give some respite to improve and stabilize one's mood and one's financial prospects.
Most of the programs require that: that you have no insurance coverage for outpatient prescription drugs; that purchasing the medication at its retail price would be a hardship for you due to your income and/or expenses; and that you do not qualify for a government or third-party program that can pay for the prescription. Maximum allowed income levels vary by program and by medical condition(s). Some require income levels no higher than the federal poverty level, but some allow somewhat higher income levels, and/or will decide on a case-by-case basis.
A month or so after the application is made, a qualified applicant will receive a two or three month supply of medication, which would be delivered to hir doctor's office. After that, more can generally be had through a re-submittal of the paperwork.
Kim Frawley at Pfizer Inc., manufacturer of a popular SSRI antidepressant, informed me that their program has been in operation for 18 years, and that last year Pfizer donated nearly $105 million dollars (suggested retail value) of medications to more than 500,000 uninsured low-income patients across the U.S. Ms. Frawley stated that the program makes "most of Pfizer's outpatient products for chronic conditions available... to those patients who were falling through the cracks".
NAFDI has just [as of 5/2000] updated our listings of products and programs available.
Free Medication Available Through Patient Assistance Programs
Pharmaceutical companies have programs which provide free medication in a number of situations including inability to pay. Most of these programs require: that you have no insurance coverage for outpatient prescription drugs; that purchasing the medication at its retail price would be a hardship for you due to your income and/or expenses; and that you do not qualify for a government or third-party program that can pay for the prescription. Maximum allowed income levels vary by program and by medical condition(s). Once you have sent in the appropriate paperwork, and are waiting for it to be processed, some pharmacists will provide you with 72 hours of medication when presented with a coupon or phone call from your doctor.
For more information, you or your doctor can contact a company directly to ask about its indigent assistance program. Some details are available at The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers' Association's website: www.phrma.org/patients. If the manufacturer of your medication is not listed here, please contact NAFDI. Please note that generic versions of medications are not usually offered through these programs. Also, note that programs, medications available, and indeed corporations may change without notice.
Commonly prescribed medications available through indigent patient assistance programs, the Manufacturer, and program Phone Number
Buspar (buspirone) Bristol Myers Squibb 800-736-0003
Carbatrol (carbamazepine) Shire Richwood 800-536-7878 for Carbatrol
908-203-0656 for others,
c/o the Franklin Group
Celexa (citalopram) Forest 800-678-1605
clozapine Mylan 304-599-2595
Clozaril (clozapine) Novartis 800-277-2254 for Clozaril
Depakote (valproic acid/divalproex) Abbott Laboratories 800 222-6885 (touchtone option 1)
Dilantin (phenytoin) Parke Davis 908-725-1247
Effexor (venlafaxine) Wyeth-Ayerst 800-568-9938 (physicians' requests only)
Eskalith, (lithium) Scios, Inc. 800-972-4670, x8508
Etraphon (amatriptyline + perphenazine) Schering Labs/Key Pharmaceuticals 800-656-9485
Gababtil (tiagabine) Abbott Laboratories 800 222-6885 (touchtone option 1)
Haldol injectables (haloperidol) Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals 800-682-6532
Isoptin (verapamil) Knoll 800-526-0710
Klonopin (clonazepam) [not available in KS, KY & NY] Roche Labs 800-285-4484
Lamictal (lamotrigine) GlaxoWellcome 800-722-9294
Levoxyl (levothyroxine) Jones 314-576-6100
Lithobid slow-release (lithium) Solvay 800-788-9277
Luvox (fluvoxamine) Solvay 800-788-9277
Mysoline (primidone) Elan Pharmaceuticals (c/o Athena Rx Home Pharmacy)
800 528-4362 (patients)
800 621-4835 (physicians/staff)
Navane (thiothixene) Pfizer 800-646-4455
Neurontin (gabapentin) Parke Davis 908-725-1247
Norpramin (desipramine) Aventis Pharmaceuticals (note, at this writing, the message at this number still refers to "Hoerst Marion Roussel") 800-221-4025
Orap (pimozide) Gate 800-292-4283
Parnate, (tranylcypromine) Scios, Inc. 800-972-4670, x8508
Paxil (paroxetine) SmithKline Beecham 800-729-4544 for Paxil
800-546-0420 for other
Prozac (fluoxetine) Lilly Cares Program 800-545-6962
Remeron (mirtazapine) Organon 973-325-4500, ext. 5273
Risperdal (risperidone) Janssen 800 652-6227
Serentil (mesordazine) Boehringer Ingleheim 800-556-8317
Seroquel (quetiapine) AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals 800-424-3727
Serzone (nefazodone) Bristol Myers Squibb 800-736-0003
Sinequan (doxepin) Pfizer 800-646-4455
Stelazine (trifluoperazine) Scios, Inc. 800-972-4670, x8508
Surmontil (trimipramine) Wyeth-Ayerst 800-568-9938 (physicians' requests only)
Synthroid (levothyroxine) Knoll 800-526-0710
Tarka (verapamil) Knoll 800-526-0710
Tegretol (carbamazepine) Novartis 800-257-3273
Thorazine (chlorpromazine) Scios, Inc. 800-972-4670, x8508
Topamax (topiramate) Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals 800-682-6532
Trilafon (perphenazine) Schering Labs/Key Pharmaceuticals 800-656-9485
Vistaril (hydroxyzine) Pfizer 800-646-4455
Vivactil (protriptyline) Merck 800 994-2111
Wellbutrin (bupropion) GlaxoWellcome 800-722-9294
Xyprexa (olanzapine) Lilly Cares Program 800-488-2133 for Xyprexa only
Zarontin (ethosuximide) Parke Davis 908-725-1247
Zoloft (sertraline) Pfizer 800-646-4455
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