HHS Secretary Announces Initiative to Expand Pharmaceutical Access

HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson announced June 18 that he has approved an initiative to allow covered entities participating in the Public Health Service's 340B drug discount program to experiment with different models of expanding access to 340B-discounted drugs.  The initiative, which the Public Hospital Pharmacy Coalition and other safety net organizations helped develop, will allow public hospitals, community health centers other health care facilities serving the uninsured to improve access to pharmaceutical care.  "Through this initiative, organizations will be able to stretch scarce resources and buy more of the drugs their patients need," Secretary Thompson said. "The initiative responds to proposals from local safety-net providers and it exemplifies our commitment to support grassroots efforts that improve primary care services for uninsured and underserved Americans."

 A description of the initiative and proposal requirements can be found at:

http://www.hrsa.gov/odpp/altmethod.htm