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Web Site for Finding Safe, Affordable Drugs
In partnership with the AFL-CIO and other organizations, Consumers Union has launched a public education campaign and free web site to help people save money on prescription drugs.
Reports on the website, www.CRBestBuyDrugs.org, compare a variety of prescription drugs on price, effectiveness and safety to help consumers and their doctors identify the most effective and affordable medicines.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said the project "is a welcome and much-needed contribution to addressing the national crisis on skyrocketing prescription drug costs."
The first reports look at drugs in three widely used categories: cholesterol-lowering medication, heartburn and acid reflux treatments and anti-inflammatories commonly used to treat arthritis. Consumers Union, which publishes Consumers Report magazine, eventually plans to compare about 20 different types of drugs and, when justified by the evidence, will choose a "best buy" drug in each category.
"One of the most serious problems in health care today is that tens of millions of Americans aren't taking the medicines they need, in large part because they can't afford them," said Joel Gurin, executive vice president of Consumers Union. "By identifying lower-cost medicines that are every bit as effective, we hope to change that."
Gurin said further he hopes the web site will lead drug companies to compete more aggressively on price as "consumers begin to migrate to effective and safe drugs that are also more affordable."
A detailed news release about the program and the initial drug reports are available on the Best Buy website. Links are also provided on the AFL-CIO site, www.aflcio.org.
Reports on the website, www.CRBestBuyDrugs.org, compare a variety of prescription drugs on price, effectiveness and safety to help consumers and their doctors identify the most effective and affordable medicines.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said the project "is a welcome and much-needed contribution to addressing the national crisis on skyrocketing prescription drug costs."
The first reports look at drugs in three widely used categories: cholesterol-lowering medication, heartburn and acid reflux treatments and anti-inflammatories commonly used to treat arthritis. Consumers Union, which publishes Consumers Report magazine, eventually plans to compare about 20 different types of drugs and, when justified by the evidence, will choose a "best buy" drug in each category.
"One of the most serious problems in health care today is that tens of millions of Americans aren't taking the medicines they need, in large part because they can't afford them," said Joel Gurin, executive vice president of Consumers Union. "By identifying lower-cost medicines that are every bit as effective, we hope to change that."
Gurin said further he hopes the web site will lead drug companies to compete more aggressively on price as "consumers begin to migrate to effective and safe drugs that are also more affordable."
A detailed news release about the program and the initial drug reports are available on the Best Buy website. Links are also provided on the AFL-CIO site, www.aflcio.org.