Need Help Affording Your Meds? LegitScript Adds Patient Assistance Feature

PORTLAND, Oregon, Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- A leading Internet pharmacy verification service offers a new message for patients: There are ways to get affordable medicines without using unregulated, potentially dangerous "rogue" Internet pharmacies.

LegitScript, a firm that monitors "rogue" Internet pharmacies and verifies legitimate ones, now offers a free feature allowing Internet users who cannot afford their medicines to find patient assistance programs that offer free or low-cost prescription drugs.

The new feature allows patients to search for a prescription drug and select from available patient assistance programs. Internet users can continue to search LegitScript's database to verify an Internet pharmacy's legitimacy, or to report a rogue Internet pharmacy.

LegitScript President John Horton said, "'Rogue' Internet pharmacies often target patients who are struggling with the price of medicines, offering seemingly low prices and claiming to be legitimate. Yet we find that these are not pharmacies at all, but just websites without required pharmacy licenses, selling unregulated and potentially substandard drugs without a prescription."

Many "rogue" Internet pharmacies illegally sell prescription drugs without requiring a prescription and without necessary pharmacy licenses. In most countries, it is also unlawful to sell medicines that fail to meet that country's safety requirements. "If cost is an issue, we're pleased to offer safe, legitimate alternatives to help patients get access to needed medications, rather than risk getting medicines that may or may not work," Horton stated.

The new feature is a product of an agreement between LegitScript and NeedyMeds.org, the leading source of patient assistance programs on the Internet. Dr. Rich Sagall, M.D., President of NeedyMeds.org, said, "NeedyMeds is pleased to partner with LegitScript to help more widely disseminate information about patient assistance programs. This is yet another way to help people find safe, legal ways to afford medicine, without putting their health at risk."

LegitScript is the world's largest Internet pharmacy verification and monitoring program and maintains a database of nearly 50,000 Internet pharmacies. According to LegitScript, over 90% of Internet pharmacies operate in violation of drug safety rules. LegitScript's program is recognized by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. The company works with search engines, domain name registrars, government agencies and other third parties to distinguish between legitimate Internet pharmacies and those that fail to comply with drug safety requirements.

SOURCE LegitScript, LLC