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(Circulation. 2001;104:e9001.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cardiovascular News

Ruth SoRelle, MPH, Circulation Newswriter

US Department of Health and Human Services Will Improve Drug Access to Safety-Net Patients

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced changes that he said should make it easier for community health centers and other safety-net providers to make drugs available to their medically indigent patients.

"Through this initiative, organizations will be able to stretch scarce resources and buy more of the drugs their patients need," said Secretary Thompson. "The initiative responds to proposals from local safety-net providers, and it exemplifies our commitment to support grass-roots efforts that improve primary care services for uninsured and underserved Americans."

Groups that participate in demonstration projects can:

Participate in single purchasing and dispensing systems that serve the networks in question.

Contract with many pharmacy service providers.

Use contracted pharmacy services to supplement in-house pharmacy services.

Secretary Thompson said the new plans would allow the safety-net providers to benefit from economies of scale, allowing the center to purchase more drugs without increasing total expenditures. Contracting with multiple pharmacy providers to supplement in-house pharmacies could improve the patients’ access to drugs.

A description of the proposal and requirements for participation can be found at http://www.hrsa.gov/odpp.

Development of Artificial Blood Is in the Final Lap

More than half-a-dozen blood substitutes are in development in the United States, according to the Los Angeles Times in a June 18, 2001, article. The "artificial blood" is a long-time "holy grail" of scientists seeking to find a safe, readily available substitute for human blood.

According to the Times, the first generation of blood substitutes should hit the market in the next 2 years. These substitutes should ease the chronic blood shortages . . . [Full Text of this Article]