West Virginia Rx fills critical need

By Mary Wade Burnside
Times West Virginian

CLARKSBURG June 26, 2009 12:31 am

— In the 14 months that West Virginia Rx has existed, the organization has distributed $1.3 million worth of prescription drugs to patients who qualify for the program.
That number can grow exponentially as West Virginia Rx’s leaders get the word out, which they continued to do Thursday with an informational event for area leaders at Health Access Inc. in Clarksburg, one of the state’s 10 free clinics.
“For every one person that hears about West Virginia Rx, we get 10 new people, because that person will tell 10 people,” said Brenda Dane, West Virginia Rx’s executive director.
Gov. Joe Manchin announced the concept of West Virginia Rx (www.wvrx.org), a charitable, central-fill pharmacy, during his 2008 State of the State address. Two months later, a ribbon-cutting was held at the Charleston offices — located in West Virginia Health Right, another free clinic — and the first prescription was filled April 15.
Now about 8,000 people are enrolled, Dane said Thursday.
People who do not have drug coverage who qualify financially can get prescriptions on West Virginia Rx’s formulary filled for free. If the pharmacy does not carry that drug, West Virginia Rx employees can help people sign up for programs that will allow them to get the prescriptions.

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