Joseph P. Rudolph, M.D., president of Family Professional Center, a Pittsburgh-based clinic, has created the Physician Medicine Assist Program (PMAP) to provide medications at Canadian prices. The program targets the uninsured or underinsured who have to pay for their own medications. The program purchases drugs through a Canadian wholesaler and passes on the savings. Medication savings range from 25 to 70 percent.

To enroll the patient submits an initial form listing the medications, dosages, and frequency. After processing by PMAP, the patient is sent three more forms. The first is the consent for them to participate, which states that PMAP is a physician-based clinical program, not a pharmacy. The second form lists the patient's medications, dosages, and frequency, which must be approved by the patient's primary physician. The third form lists the actual prices of the medications.

Once the three forms are returned and the medications approved by the patient's physician, the medications are put through the Yale Medical Letter Adverse Drug Interaction Program. This computer program provides a report listing information about the drugs that is then returned to the patient's family physician to review for potential adverse drug interactions. Because a patient often has medications prescribed by various doctors, this is often overlooked. The doctor then returns the report to PMAP. If there are any changes, the process is repeated. Once the drug order is complete, it is sent to a wholesaler in Canada.

Because the enrollment process is quite lengthy - approximately four to six weeks, the program is aimed toward people who are on chronic medications. Typically, patients receive three months worth of medication at a time, as this is the limit established by the FDA. The patients pay PMAP directly for the medication, including a $13 flat shipping fee per box, whether the patient orders one medication or ten medications. There are no insurance premiums or membership fees.

To get more information about the Physician Medicine Assist Program, call 412-653-4900 for additional information, or send a self addressed, stamped envelope to:

Family Professional Center
330 Curry Hollow Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15236

Each participant is required to submit an individual form, so if more than one person in the family is applying, they need to specify the number of forms needed.

10/2002