state asks pharmacies to give free flu meds [View All]

[niyad]

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State Asks Pharmacies To Give Free Flu Meds
Those Who Can't Pay To Get Meds From State Stockpile
Reported by Aaron Solomon



NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The state has sent letters asking pharmacies to give the medicine free of charge to those who can't pay.






"We're seeing an outbreak," said pharmacist Phillip Bradley of Bradley Drug Co., who said he's seeing a lot of patients with the flu, both H1N1 and seasonal, but not all of his patients are getting help.

"We're seeing a lot of prescriptions coming through here that are antivirals, but I know that a lot of my customers that are uninsured, I don't see them coming in with prescriptions," said Bradley.

The government sees the problem, too, which is why the state just sent letters to all the pharmacists in Tennessee asking them to dispense antiviral medications -- normally Tamiflu -- to uninsured and under-insured Tennesseans who can't afford it for free.

The pharmacies themselves have to sign up for the program, but Bradley said he thinks it's a good idea

"My initial thought is it's a great thing for Tennesseans," he said. "A lot of the uninsured do not have the ability to get antiviral medications because of the expense, so through the state and through the pharmacy association, we're going to be able to dispense these antiviral medications at no charge."

Tamiflu costs about $100 if it's paid for out of your pocket

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http://www.wsmv.com/news/21726150/detail.html