The Pharmaceutical Industry Provides Relief
To Mexican Flood Victims

Washington, D.C. (December 06, 2007) —The pharmaceutical industry has quickly come to the aid of over one million people who have been affected by the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Noel in late October and early November in the Tabasco and Chiapas regions of southern Mexico.

“The flooding in Mexico has caused serious damage to the Chiapas and Tabasco regions, which puts the many people who live there in danger,” said Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) President and CEO Billy Tauzin. “Our member companies are supporting the aid workers in their fight against potential diseases and other health related problems that could arise as a result of the flood.”

PhRMA member company contributions have included:

• Abbott’s donation consists of 28,000 boxes of antibiotics, 94,000 bottles of serum, 7,000 packages of infant formula, 46,000 nutritional supplements, and 100 glucose meters with 10,000 reactive strips. In addition, Abbott has donated the resources for HIV and Hepatitis A, B and C exams and blood tests. It has also provided the materials to reactivate the operation of the blood bank that services several hospitals in Villahermosa.

• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has made a donation of medicines and OTC products valued at more than $580,000. The contribution comprises quantities of Ceftin and Bactroban, which is valued at around $100,000, as well as Septrin, Amoxil, Zentel, Virlix and Zovira. GSK will be working with its donations partner, AmeriCares, and its in-country partners, the Mexican Order of Malta, to distribute the products.

• Johnson & Johnson is distributing OTC drugs, antibiotics, wound care products, and food and water through its disaster relief partner, AmeriCares. It also guarantees that any U.S. based employee of Johnson & Johnson will have their contributions to the flood victims matched 2-for-1 through their Matching Gifts Program.

• Merck is donating $50,000 in cash to the American Red Cross and working closely with their partners on the ground to assess the situation and provide any medicine and support that will be requested in the future.

• Pfizer contributed $17,000 from its disaster relief fund which was matched by Corporate Affairs Mexico for a sum total of $34,000 allocated for reconstruction works. It also donated drinking water as well as other needed supplies and contributed medicines worth $80,000 channeled through the Ministry of Health. To its Tobasco based peers, Pfizer donated a sum total of $17,000.

• Schering-Plough is distributing to its colleagues in Mexico cash donations and medicines for adults and children, such as antibiotics, antifungals, pain medicines, and treatments for colds and flu. Moreover, it is delivering supplies such as groceries medical supplies, cleaning agents, house wares, as well as other items.
  
  
• Wyeth is donating 18,600 units of nutritional products (SMA, Promil and Progres), as part of a national “United for Them” relief initiative, which includes other major companies as well as Televisa, Mexico’s main TV network.
  

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The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $43 billion in 2006 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $55.2 billion in 2006.

PhRMA Internet Address: www.phrma.org

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PhRMA en Español: www.nuestraphrma.org

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For information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit: www.pparx.org

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