Effort will give voice to millions of Americans who support access to personal importation of safe, affordable prescriptions

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA, October 5, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/ -- WASHINGTON, DC, OCTOBER 5, 2016 – A group of patient advocates and businesses representing the right of Americans to engage in the importation of prescription medications from safe, credentialed international pharmacies, today announced joint support of an unprecedented initiative to ensure presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump address the issue of prescription importation at the second presidential debate.

The group includes Daniel Hines, the publisher of TodaysSeniorsNetwork; RxRights.org; the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation, PharmacyChecker.com, and the Prescription Justice Action Group. Together, these organizations represent more than four million Americans who import medication for personal use each year.

A 500 percent increase in the price of the EpiPen® has elevated the issue of high drug prices to the public’s attention and resulted in Congressional hearings on high drug costs in the U.S. The discussion surrounding unaffordable drug prices, however, has focused almost exclusively on long term solutions.

Americans cannot wait for long term solutions. The Commonwealth Fund reports at least 35 million Americans failed to adhere to their prescribed drug regimens in 2014 due to the high cost of their medications. This non-adherence is estimated to cost $100-$300 billion in avoidable healthcare costs in the U.S. annually, according to a study in Risk Management and Healthcare Policy (2014). Meanwhile, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 71 percent of Americans support access to safe, affordable medications through prescription importation (September, 2016).

The group is asking Americans to support the issue by voting for its importation question through the Open Debate Coalition forum, at https://presidentialopenquestions.com/questions/12064/vote/. It is also encouraging supporters to share their stories on social media and let the moderators of the October 9 presidential debate, Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz, know that Americans want the presidential candidates to explain how they will provide immediate relief on drug prices and how they’ll fight to increase access to safe, affordable medications through prescription importation. Supporters should use the hashtags #RxAccess and #RxImportation to participate in the discussion.

About TodaysSeniorsNetwork
TodaysSeniorsNetwork , which includes RxforAmericanHealth and the AmericanRxBillofRights, is America's leading information source for seniors an issues facing an aging America. Publisher Daniel Hines, an international award-winning communicator brings his unique perspective to a host of issues based on his extensive work with policy-makers at the local, state and Federal levels, elected officials, seniors' and other advocacy groups, and who has worked extensively on behalf of personal importation of safe, affordable prescription medicines for 15 years. For the official blog, visit http://www.todaysseniorsnetwork.com and for more information, contact Daniel Hines at 636.399.2849 or todaysseniorsnet@sbcglobal.net.

About RxRights
RxRights is a national nonprofit coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to raising awareness and spurring action around issues related to U.S. prescription drug pricing. We support the right of Americans to import medicine from legitimate, licensed online and mail order international pharmacies. RxRights.org serves as a forum for individuals to share experiences and voice opinions regarding Americans’ need for affordable prescription drugs. We encourage participation and discussion through our website. For more information visit www.rxrights.org or contact Lee Graczyk: lee@rxrights.org or 1-866-703-5442.

About Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation
Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI) is a national nonprofit patient advocacy organization that advocates for Americans’ access to safe, affordable prescription medications from Canada for personal use. Tens of millions of Americans – especially the elderly and others on fixed incomes – struggle to pay the extremely high price of prescription medications in the U.S. We are here to be a voice for them. For more information visit www.personalimportation.org or contact Rebecca Kelley at info@personalimportation.org or 202.765.3290.

About PharmacyChecker.com
PharmacyChecker.com (www.pharmacychecker.com) is the only independent company that verifies U.S. and international online pharmacies and compares prescription drug prices. Our verifications and price comparisons have been referenced by AARP Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and many others. We were formed in 2002 when our founder, Tod Cooperman, M.D., saw that increasing numbers of Americans were looking on the Internet to save money on medication but did not have adequate information to protect their health. We are a stakeholder in the online consumer-driven healthcare community, seeking an open Internet environment that promotes innovation and new business models, especially those that serve the public health. For more information, contact Gabriel Levitt at 718.387.4526 or Gabriel.levitt@pharmacychecker.com.

About Prescription Justice Action Group
Prescription Justice Action Group is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to providing relief and protection for American patients. Prescription Justice Action Group brings together doctors, lawyers, public health advocates, and companies dedicated to helping people afford medication. For more information, contact Jodi Dart at 217.306.5823 or jodi@pjag.org.

Daniel Hines
TodaysSeniorsNetwork
636-399-2849
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