Originally published by Direct Relief on May 11, 2023.
Direct Relief announced today that it received a donation of 2 million doses of generic medications for nonprofit healthcare providers in the U.S. and globally, thanks to the Association of Accessible Medicines’ (AAM) 4GRxANTED campaign.
Launched in February, the 4GRxANTED campaign invites people to record a video or share a story explaining who or what in their lives they take for granted. The generic pharmaceutical industry is participating in the 4GRxANTED campaign by donating its medicines to Direct Relief for patients in need.
"As the beneficiary of the 4GRxANTED campaign, Direct Relief is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with AAM and the generic pharmaceutical industry in supporting people and communities experiencing poverty or disasters," said Tom Roane, Vice President of Corporate Engagement & Strategy at Direct Relief. "Access to high-quality generic medicines is a vital component for maintaining or restoring health, and Direct Relief greatly appreciates the generosity of participating generic pharmaceutical companies."
Direct Relief, one of the largest charitable providers of medical products both in the U.S. and globally, has in the past 12 months supplied 2,464 nonprofit healthcare providers in 54 U.S. states and territories and over 90 countries with more than $1.8 billion (wholesale) in medical resources, much of which was donated by generic pharmaceutical manufacturers such as Accord, Apotex, Hikma, Sandoz, Teva, Viatris, among others.
“We have partnered with Direct Relief and the member companies of our industry to help shed light on the importance of generics and how access to these medicines is far too often taken for granted,” said Christine Baeder, Chief Operating Officer, Generics and Biosimilars, Teva USA, and Chair of AAM. “We hope that the 4GRxanted campaign will not only lead to increased donations of medicines where they are most needed, but also solidify public support for an industry that does so much to safeguard the health of our nation.”
"With 4GRxANTED, the latest campaign from the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM), the spotlight shines on the critical role generics and biosimilars play in our healthcare system and in our lives," says Keren Haruvi, President of Sandoz Inc and board member of AAM. “We are proud to support this initiative. As a society, we cannot afford to take this impact for granted any longer.”
The 4GRxANTED campaign will remain active throughout at least 2023, and videos can be submitted and shared through the microsite at https://4grxanted.org/ and distributed through the 4GRxANTED social media channels.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Susan Reilly
Director of Communications, AAM
1.703.725.0729
About AAM
AAM is driven by the belief that access to safe, quality, effective medicine has a tremendous impact on a person’s life and the world around them. Generic and biosimilar medicines improve people’s lives, improving society and the economy in turn. AAM represents the manufacturers and distributors of finished generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars, manufacturers and distributors of bulk pharmaceutical chemicals, and suppliers of other goods and services to the generic industry. Generic pharmaceuticals are 91 percent of prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. but only 18 percent of total drug spending.
About the Biosimilars Council
The Biosimilars Council, a division of the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM), works to ensure a positive environment for patient access to biosimilar medicines. The Biosimilars Council is a leading source for information about the safety and efficacy of more affordable alternatives to costly brand biologic medicines. Areas of focus include public and health expert education, strategic partnerships, government affairs, legal affairs and regulatory policy. More information is available at www.biosimilarscouncil.org.