'Help is Here Express' helps uninsured and financially-struggling patients with free prescription medicines

The Beaches Leader recently reported that the "Help is Here Express" bus tour visited Jacksonville Beach's Mission House to help uninsured and financially-struggling patients access information on programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free.

Mission House is an independent, non-denominational, nonprofit outreach center dedicated to helping the needy and poor.

The "Help is Here Express" is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). The PPA is a nationwide effort sponsored by America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are represented in Washington, D.C. by the national trade association known as PhRMA.

To date, the PPA has helped more than 6 million patients, including more than 451,000 Floridians. Since its launch in April 2005, the PPA bus tour has visited all 50 states and more than 2,500 cities to raise awareness about patient assistance programs.

The "Help is Here Express" is staffed by trained specialists able to quickly help uninsured patients in need access information on more than 475 patient assistance programs, including nearly 200 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies.