Response to a Growing Need
More than 46 million people in the United States are uninsured and struggle to access affordable medicines.1 In 2004, Direct Relief launched a safety-net support program to address this need. To date, the program—the largest of its kind in the U.S.—has provided more than $175 million (wholesale) worth of medicines and supplies to more than 1,000 partner clinics and health center entities in the U.S. That assistance includes more than 10 million needed prescriptions.
Safety-net health centers and clinics provide quality care at little or no cost to the patient. A significant percentage of patients at partner clinics and health centers are uninsured, and live below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Line.
Support for the Safety Net
With donations from medical manufacturers and corporations, Direct Relief USA provides aid to safety-net clinics across the U.S. Direct Relief’s trusted network of partners includes clinics in all 50 states and partnerships with associations at the national, state, and local level.
Requests from clinics and health centers are carefully screened by Direct Relief's two pharmacists on staff, who match specific requests to current inventory. FedEx provides transport and ensures efficient, timely delivery of the assistance. Direct Relief is also scaling up its support to U.S. safety-net healthcare facilities, with a bulk replenishment program now in the pilot stage.
Nimble in an Emergency
Direct Relief USA responds efficiently to emergencies across the U.S. The largest response to date has been to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, totaling more than $46 million in aid and cash grants. As part of that response, Direct Relief pharmacist Ruth Smarinsky participated on the Texas Health Commissioner's Blue Ribbon Task Force on hurricane preparedness.
Emergency preparedness is essential to a nimble response in the times of disaster. In the Gulf States, Direct Relief USA has provided Hurricane Preparedness Packs to clinics most vulnerable to storms. And in California, in partnership with FedEX, Direct Relief has enhanced emergency communications among clinics, which was used extensively during the 2007 San Diego Wildfires.
Licensing and Compliance
Direct Relief’s extensive medical donations programs require strict compliance with state, federal, foreign country regulations as well as international guidelines. Direct Relief has been approved by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) as a Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributor® (VAWD®). The organization is the first nonprofit organization in the United States to receive this accreditation.
Direct Relief holds the licenses necessary to distribute prescription pharmaceuticals in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and has been a licensed wholesale pharmacy distributor in California since 1962.
In addition to obtaining the VAWD designation, Direct Relief also runs SAP’s leading business software ECC 6.0 as its core information technology enterprise system.