Free Lipitor, Viagra, Other Drugs for Jobless

[elleng]

Source: nyt/ap

Pfizer Inc. says it will provide 70 of its most widely prescribed prescription drugs -- including Lipitor and Viagra -- for free to people who have lost their jobs and health insurance.

The world's biggest drugmaker said Thursday it will give away the medicines for up to a year to Americans who lost jobs since Jan. 1 and have been on the Pfizer drug for three months or more. . .

Starting Thursday, patients can call a toll-free number, 866-706-2400, to sign up, and those whose drugs are not included in the program will be referred to other company aid programs. Starting July 1, patients can also apply through the Web site, www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com, which has information about the other Pfizer aid programs.





Read more: http://nytimes.com/aponline/2009/05/14/business/AP-US-Pfizer-Free-Drugs.html

[YOY]

1. Just because you're homeless doesn't mean you need to be bonerless.

n.t.

[rcrush]

2. Hundreds of thousands of homeless people walking the streets with boners

:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[onehandle]

3. Well, if you're jobless you're always looking for something to do. nt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

21. LOL

my favorite comment so far!

[madmom]

4. Gee ,I wonder if birth control is included in this?..I stand corrected,

after reading the whole article I found contraception is included. Lesson learned.:blush:

[elleng]

8. I was hoping DUers would see the merits in this.

Thanks.

May be another unfortunate headline.

[Overseas]

15. I see this as one more Hail Mary pass by the greedy Medicine-for-Profit industries

Just like their wonderfulfabulouswoweezoweegenerous plan to "save us" 2 trillion by---

holding back on their planned cost increases by 1.5% !

Ring-a-ding-ding !!

Yes I'm sure many people will be glad to call those lines and get their medications for free. And it is a lot better than going to your pharmacy after losing your insurance and hearing "$231.00 please," to pick up a prescription that was much cheaper on insurance.

But Hail Mary moves like WE"RE GONNA SAVE YOU TWO TRILLION over the next ten years !! -- just make me ask the question--

Where were you over the last ten years when many of us lost our insurance because it was too expensive for us or our small business employers; when so many of us went bankrupt even when we had insurance because you covered so little and costs have been escalating unbridled for years now?

So I'm not jumping for joy at these seemingly generous last minute offers by the rapacious industries that pay their upper management exorbitant sums and think a generous offer is just to give up their plans to raise our rates by two trillion over the next decade.

[Psephos]

26. I see a lot of merit in this

and I also wonder what the cynics have personally done to help any strangers who have lost a job.

Drug company does something right, we should acknowledge it to encourage them to do some other things right, too.

[Turbineguy]

5. Hmmm......

now there's a thinking man's motive for larceny.

[Merlot]

6. God forbid people find out they don't need their drugs.

I know some are livesaving, but some seem to cause as many problems as they solve.

[ronnie624]

7. Absolutely.

I prefer fruits, vegetables and daily exercise.

[medeak]

9. Lipitor linked to Parkinsons

and now they are prescribing it for children. Handing out this drug like candy is asking for class action suit

[Old Coot]

14. What study links statins to Parkinson's disease? nt

[medeak]

17. Dr friend with Parkinsons had study translated from german

My husband has it as well and we met looking for answers after being on lipitor for just a few months. He has done extensive research (along with his professor wife) and have found several studies re the possibility but the only one that actually says there is an effect is from Germany. His wife has written dissertation re statins for FDA. The only statin study being conducted in US is by University of CA Santa Barbara.

[medeak]

19. oops meant univ Ca San Diego

there have been many threads on DU re this

[Crowman1979]

10. Great, now we have legal drug pushers!

:eyes:

I guess corporate america is trying their best to keep from being lynched.

[VenusRising]

11. It's a good gesture.

There are far too many people on maintenance drugs that would otherwise be up a creek. I don't like big pharma, but this is a good thing.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

12. oh good, the poor slobs can f---- themselves into oblivion

No tolerance for sexual impotence, just financial impotence.

[Robb]

13. Better hed: Free contraceptives for homeless

...At least mine would sell more newspapers. :eyes:

[conspirator]

16. jobless and horny? Not a good combination. Without status it's hard to get laid nt

[Regret My New Name]

29. Yeah... and pretending usually causes more problems in the long run...

not that I would know or anything.

[Dark]

18. Oh god. No job to keep busy + Viagra? Say hello to another baby boomer generation.

nt

[Akoto]

20. Hate to play devil's advocate, but Pfizer provides my Lyrica for free ...

I'm very grateful for it, too. At 24, I am disabled with a chronic pain condition, but the drug at least makes my days a bit more bearable.

[Peace Patriot]

22. Thanks for posting this info! nt

[elleng]

24. I HOPED and still HOPE

that DUers will pass this info on to those who need it.

[Missy Vixen]

23. Don't forget www.needymeds.org

My husband's diabetes meds have been free for the past six months. I can't imagine what we would have done if we'd still had to pay for his meds without insurance.

[totodeinhere]

25. What about having the same program for the working poor, not just the unemployed? n/t

[Psephos]

27. See post #23 n/t

[MadMaddie]

28. What about Birth control for women? Or Condoms?

I am sure they are not on the list...

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

30. Local health department, plus I don't think Pfizer makes condoms.