Canadian consumers save $50 million on prescription medicines in 2012

RxHelp Patient Choice cards allow Canadians to stay on brand name medicines at generic prices

TORONTO, April 16, 2013 /CNW/ - Canadian consumers who used RxHelp™ Patient Choice card programs to purchase their brand name drugs saved $50 million last year.  These savings represent more than 1.2 million prescriptions across Canada using the RxHelp card - a new tool that allows consumers to stay on their brand medicines while paying the lower generic prices.

By connecting patients to pharmaceutical manufacturers' payment assistance programs RxHelp™ Patient Choice programs provide Canadian consumers with the choice to remain on the brand name medicine originally prescribed to them by their doctor.   These cards are available for Canadian consumers who require medicine for chronic conditions such as high cholesterol, arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, Parkinson's disease, asthma and migraines as well as for consumers who require monthly medicine for family planning.   Commonly prescribed prescription brand medicines such as Lipitor^®, Alesse^®, Effexor^® XR, Strattera^®, Singulair^®, Norvasc^® and Maxalt^® are among brand medicines available with an RxHelp card.

Patients take a valid prescription from their doctor, present it along with an RxHelp Patient Choice card to their pharmacist and ask for their brand name medicine to be dispensed.  RxHelp Patient Choice cards can be used at any Canadian pharmacy.   Cards can be downloaded to a smart phone or printed as a PDF from www.RxHelp.ca.  Cards can also be ordered by calling 1-866-RxHelp4 (1-866-794-3574).   Cards are free of charge; there are no hidden fees, no monthly charges and patient privacy is protected.

Sarah Beech was pleased when her doctor gave her an RxHelp Patient Choice card with her prescription.  "A lot of research has gone into brand name products. I think it is great that I could choose to stay on the same product I have taken for several years.  I don't have to worry about how the product may work for me or side effects that might occur if I changed products.  My RxHelp card is on file with my pharmacist and they now routinely support my choice to remain with the brand name product."

"Consistency in medication is very important to achieving results. Active ingredients, dyes and other inert materials can vary slightly from one manufacturer to another and some patients are sensitive to such variations.  Staying on the same brand removes this risk," adds Dr. Ana Poldes, a family physician in Toronto.  "Substituting brands can also mean a different color or shaped pill, which can be confusing to seniors who may take several medications each day.  With an RxHelp Patient Choice card my patients can stay on the brand medicines I prescribed for them with no extra cost to them."

RxHelp.ca president Craig Martin added, "We are proud to partner with brand name pharmaceutical companies so that patients have a choice to stay on the brand medicines that are familiar to them.   We are pleased that our cards were used over 1.2 million times last year and saved consumers over $50 million."

About RxHelp™

RxHelp.ca is a patient-centric service offered by leading Canadian research-based pharmaceutical companies and managed by Toronto-headquartered Cameron Stewart LifeScience.  Founded in 2006, Cameron Stewart LifeScience is a communications and consulting firm that specializes in healthcare and pharmaceutical marketing.

The RxHelp Patient Choice card allows consumers to remain on their brand name medicines with no additional cost over the generic alternative. A patient must have a valid prescription from their doctor, present it along with a corresponding RxHelp Patient Choice card to their pharmacist and request to remain on their brand. The RxHelp Patient Choice card can be used at all Canadian pharmacies.  Cards can be downloaded at RxHelp.ca or can be ordered by calling 1-866-RxHelp4 (1-866-794-3574).

SOURCE: RxHelp

For more information on RxHelp or to coordinate an interview, please contact:

Jessica Howe
beSPEAK Communications
[email protected]
416-844-3903