Powerful Web-Based Tool from 'Results for America' Finds Eager Audience
NEWTON, Mass., Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 4,500 consumers used the
powerful, consumer-friendly "Canadian Drug Savings Calculator"
(http://www.ResultsForAmerica.org) to calculate $20 million in total savings
during the first 10 weeks the tool was available on the Web, according to the
nonprofit Results for America (RFA).
Unveiled on November 25, 2003, the Canadian Drug Savings Calculator (also
available at http://www.DrugSavingsCalculator.org) makes it possible for
Americans using prescription medications to calculate exactly how much they
could save by buying their medications in Canada. RFA is a project of the
nonprofit Civil Society Institute, which is not involved in any way in the
health care industry or the recent lobbying on Medicare reform.
Civil Society Institute President Pam Solo said: "We are delighted to see
even stronger interest in this consumer information tool than we had
originally projected. We are making this calculator available so that every
American medical consumer can better understand their own personal stake in
the fight for affordable prescription medication. Nearly every home and every
family in America will find this highly customizable cost-savings information
to be of direct interest on a personal pocketbook level."
The RFA calculator allows consumers to gauge savings on nearly 50 of the
most popular prescription medications by picking multiple drugs, different
dosage settings and time horizons ranging from one month to 20 years. For
example, the calculator shows that an American consumer who buys the widely
prescribed osteoarthritis pain relief medication Vioxx and takes one pill per
today would spend $524.16 a year less at Canadian prices, or a total of
$10,483.20 over 20 years. Similarly, a person taking Lipitor, for treatment
of high cholesterol, would save $338.52 per year -- or $6,770.40 over 20
years. A U.S. victim of acid reflux taking the medication Prevacid on a daily
basis would save $640.64 a year or $12,812.80 over 20 years in Canada,
according to the calculator.
The prescription medications encompassed in the RFA "Canadian Drug Savings
Calculator" are Accupril, Actosm, Advair Disku, Allegra-D, Alphagan-P,
Aricept, Arimidex, Avalide, Avandia, Avapro, Casodex, Celexa, Clarinex,
Coumadin, Cozaar, Depakote, Detrol LA, Diovan, Exelon, Flonase, Flovent,
Fosamax, Glucophage XR, Hyzaar, Lamictal, Lipitor, Mirapex, Mobic, Nasonex,
Neurontin, Paxil, Pravachol, Premarin, Prempro, Prevacid, Prograf, Proscar,
Risperdal, Serevent, Singulair, Synthroid, Topamax, Vioxx, Xalatan, Zocor and
Zyrtec.
Prices reflected in Web site were compiled from the list prices of four
different online pharmacy retailers from October 1-7, 2003. Certain price
factors that tend to cancel each other out (including inflation and
competition-related adjustments in drug prices) are not reflected in the
calculator's multi-year results.
ABOUT RESULTS FOR AMERICA
Results for America is a project of the Civil Society Institute, which is
based in Newton, Massachusetts. The mission of CSI is to serve as a catalyst
for change by creating problem-solving interactions among people, and between
communities, government and business, that can help to improve society. Visit
Civil Society Institute on the Web at http://www.civilsocietyinstitute.org.
RFA seeks to shape and tap the tremendous amount of community-level
knowledge, experience and innovative action that could solve America's
problems in four key areas:
* Healthy Families, Healthy Economy, Healthy America. Results for America
supports affordable health care and prescription drugs. It also supports a
commitment to biomedical technologies and breakthrough treatments and cures
for life-threatening illnesses that affect millions of us.
* Great Kids, Great Schools, Great Communities. Results for America
supports investing in public schools, making sure parents have more of a say
in their schools and creating conditions that will lead to learning and
success for every child.
* Clean Air, Clean Energy, Bright Future. Results for America supports
reducing our debilitating dependence on oil and fossil fuels and making
sensible investments in alternative energy sources.
* Rational Foreign Policy, A Safer World. Results for America supports a
rational foreign policy that works in concert with global organizations not in
opposition to them. It also supports restoring America to its place in the
world community as a nation respected and admired rather than mistrusted and
feared.
SOURCE Civil Society Institute, Newton, MA
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Related links:
http://www.ResultsForAmerica.org
http://www.DrugSavingsCalculator.org
CONTACT:
Stephanie Kendall, +1-703-276-3254 or
skendall@hastingsgroup.com, for Civil Society Institute
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