Consumers Union has been awarded a $4.4 million grant in part to enhance the Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs project. The money will also support the creation of consumer-friendly information on the safe and wise use of prescription drugs, and a public education program based on this information and Best Buy Drugs.

The grant was awarded by the Attorneys General of all 50 states, and is part of $430 million collected through a 2004 settlement between the attorneys general and Warner-Lambert, now owned by Pfizer. Warner-Lambert agreed to the settlement to resolve allegations that it illegally marketed the epilepsy drug Neurontin for "off-label" purposes not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The settlement earmarked funds for consumer education.

"Millions of consumers either go without needed medications or pay high prices for their prescriptions because they don't know about effective, affordable alternatives," said Jim Guest, President of Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine. "The AG Grant will help counter pervasive drug industry marketing that drives up health care costs by informing consumers about their choices when it comes to prescription medications."

Best Buy Drugs was launched in December 2004 and has since released in depth reports for consumers on 20 categories of drugs used to treat 35 major medical illnesses and conditions, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, depression, insomnia, and asthma. The project has been supported by grants from the Engelberg Foundation, a private philanthropy, and the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health.

Gail Shearer, the project's director, said, "The AG grant means that we can reach populations where the need is greatest. Our goal is to improve health outcomes and help Americans get better value for their health care dollar." Target populations include people with large out-of-pocket drug expenditures, such as seniors and the uninsured, people who have to take multiple medications, and low-income minorities.

CU will partner with an array of groups to disseminate the information, which will also be available free online at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org and the Best Buy Drugs home page www.CRBestBuyDrugs.org.

Click here to download the AG's press release on the grant.
Click here to download Consumers Union's release.