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Pharmaceutical Supply System Activates Rx Response for Second Time in 10 Days to Address Potential Impact From Hurricane Ike

Posted on: Wednesday, 10 September 2008, 15:00 CDT

Rx Response, an unprecedented initiative of America's pharmaceutical supply system to help ensure the continued flow of medicine to patients in a severe public health emergency, has been officially activated for the second time in less than two weeks in anticipation of potential impact from Hurricane Ike.

Consumers are being urged to visit www.RxResponse.org to review preparation tips and to fill out a printable, wallet-size medication card. The medication card includes information about current medications, medical conditions and contact information for doctors, pharmacists and emergency contacts. Rx Response leaders are urging consumers to take an adequate supply of medications during evacuations.

Rx Response was developed nearly 2 years ago in response to Hurricane Katrina and the threat of pandemic influenza. Rx Response members include:

 --  American Hospital Association (AHA)      --  American Red Cross      --  Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)      --  Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPHA)      --  Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA)      --  National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)      --  National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)      --  Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)      

Rx Response is a single point of contact for the entire pharmaceutical supply system and relies on a robust network that allows federal and state emergency management officials to communicate with Rx Response regarding pharmaceutical needs and other issues which may impact the supply system. The communications are actively monitored by all segments of the pharmaceutical supply system to ensure the fastest possible resolution.

In addition to elevating to its highest operational status of Engaged, Rx Response leaders have contacted public health officials in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to advise them of Rx Response's engaged status and assure officials that Rx Response will closely monitor Hurricane Ike and provide support as needed.

Also, Rx Response Coordinator Erin Mullen, R.Ph, Ph.D., was deployed to the Florida Department of Health Emergency Operations Center on Sunday, September 7th at the request of Florida public health officials in the event that Hurricane Ike caused severe damage in the Florida Keys.

Rx Response officials have earned praise from federal and state health officials for their response last week to Hurricane Gustav. Rx Response officials held numerous conference calls with all members of the pharmaceutical supply system to monitor impacts from Hurricane Gustav. These calls enabled enhanced reporting by the industry of the status of open pharmacies in areas of Louisiana that had been evacuated. This information enabled Louisiana public health officials to understand the status of pharmacies -- a critical community asset -- as they made decisions to allow homeowners to return to affected areas.

At the request of Louisiana public health officials, Rx Response Coordinator Erin Mullen was deployed to Louisiana to prepare to serve as the liaison between the State of Louisiana's Emergency Operations Center and Rx Response.

Finally, Rx Response was in direct contact with several federal agencies responding to Gustav including the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Critical Infrastructure and Key Resource Protection Program, the DHS Private Sector Office and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Critical Infrastructure Program.

 Contact: Grady Forrer 202-835-3460  

SOURCE: Rx Response

Source: MARKET WIRE

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