InnovationRx Announces Medication Adherence Awareness Month

I found this press release earlier in the week from InnovationRx, announcing a pilot program in CA for their pharmacy based adherence programs. I saw their presentation at the DM colloquium earlier this year and found their services to be very similar to Intelecare's, however InnovationRx is a paid service, not a free service to patients like Intelecare's consumer offerings. Also in the announcement was the declaration of Medication Adherence Awareness month, co-sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association, the FDA OWH and the Pharmacists Planning Service.

Of course I was very excited to hear about Medication Adherence Awareness Month, however I could not find any information on any of the aforementioned partner websites, nor on InnovationRx's website either. I emailed my medication adherence enthusiast buddy Dr. Showalter from AlignMap, and looked at his blog, but no info there either. I even did a Google Search, but could only find InnovationRx's press release (excerpt below).

Every month for me is Medication Adherence Awareness Month, as everyday I educate patients, caregivers, industry executives (Health 2.0 companies, health plans, pharmacies, non-profits, etc...) on the pandemic that is medication non-adherence.

QUICK STORY: My wife and I were at a wedding last weekend for one of her best friends, and inevitably the question of "what do you do" came up. I hate to bore people in social situations about healthcare issues (most of the guests were in the fashion industry and artists, musicians, etc...), but found that everyone I spoke with had no idea the impact medication non-adherence has to patients and the US economy. And they were interested. I even spoke with a heart surgeon, who said "sure I know about medication non-adherence, but I did not know it was so rampant".

So here is a salute to Medication Adherence Awareness Month! Please spread the word and stay adherent to your medications, and let others know about the importance of their doctor's prescribed care plan. 1 in 2 patients does not take their medications as prescribed, costing the US $300 BILLION annually in unnecessary healthcare costs and lost revenue. 84% cite simple forgetfulness as the reason for their non-adherence.

Medication non-adherence is America's Biggest Drug Problem, but it need not be.

From BusinessWire:

"InnovationRx, a wholly owned subsidiary of Innovation Group (UK:TIG: news, chart, profile) , today launched a medication adherence awareness campaign targeting pharmacists and patients in California. The campaign, a pilot for a nationwide effort, aims to provide pharmacists with resources that will help their patients to achieve medication adherence and improve health. InnovationRx is collaborating with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Women's Health (FDA OWH), and Pharmacists Planning Service, Inc. (PPSI) for this campaign.

Medication non-adherence is a costly and prevalent problem in the United States. As part of Pharmacy/Medication Adherence Awareness Month, InnovationRx and its partners will raise awareness of the consequences of non-adherence and showcase programs that are available to help patients simplify their medication regimen and build reminder systems."