Let's get this PASSED in Pennsylvania

My hat is OFF to any politician that can help create this GREATLY NEEDED program here in Pennsylvania !
I am just a person, like many of you reading this newly established Blog. I have been involved for many years with families dealing with Cancer and only this past year found myself trying to help my wife in her fight against Cancer.
Very early on, we grew to understand how important our health insurance was in enabling us to in most cases, obtain her much needed medications which truly enhance her chance of longer term survival. We also have met other families who are not as lucky and they have little or no insurance and they simply have no chance at ever obtaining certain medications that may give them the edge in their own fight for survival.
On one occasion, we had recently filled a prescription for a drug only to have the dose and injection type change, making the medication safely stored in our home refridge useless to us. To make matters worse, upon asking her Oncologist to recommend a patient to whom we could give this to, we learned that a practice such as that is not legal here in our great state of Pennsylvania..........one of the discussion groups I belong to provided me a person in need, she has the same exact type of Cancer and is using the exact medication and dose.
After much consideration and desire to provide these perfectly new and unopened medications to this person, we made the decision to NOT do it out of fear of violation of the law. It amazed us that the Oncologist was not permitted to do this either ( although I know that some doc's do this as indicated to me by others in my research ).
Think for a moment, about a time when a patient dies after obtaining a quantity of medications that are simply destroyed by the family because they have no legal way to pass them on to another person in need.....I assure you that this happens each and every day in every part of Pennsylvania on a regular basis.....what a shame.
Something has to change and this is about as grass-roots as it gets, we are individuals and we are going to make enough noise to get this done. Upon talking to State Rep. Tim Solobay, D-Washington ( our county ) and explaining this clearly to him, asking why our state could not do what others have done, create a Cancer Drug Repository through which donated cancer drugs could be dispensed to uninsured patients and those in need, he assured me he would look into it.
Being true to his word, he did just that. Less than a week later, he contacted me to let me know he discovered that state Sen. Rob Wonderling, R-Bucks, had introduced a similar measure (S.B. 460). He contacted him and they are on the same page....completely for this getting passed in whichever side it can, in an effort to help others in need. On February 23, 2006, Rep. Solobay introduced (H.B. 2482) .
This is a great thing and my hat is off to the both of them as well as their co-sponsors.......thank you for trying.
Now is the time that we as Pennsylvanian's need to come forward and tell our story ( use the comment link below ) as it relates to this cause, sending a clear messege to those in power, " We need a Cancer Drug Repository established in Pennsylvania " and we need it now !
I ask you to post here and tell others to do the same, creating a combined effort to at least give someone we do not even know, a better chance at living. Perhaps at seeing their daughter get married or son graduate, or the birth of a grandchild.....think about how important these events are in your life and that will help you understand how important they are to someone else.
I will be adding to this blog in time and please, speak your mind in an effort to show how important you think this can be.
If you wish to look at other states and their programs, try this link for details:

http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/pharmacyboard/legislation/summary.pdf

Thanks,
Michael


Please feel free to email the chairperson of each committee to encourage them to move on this isse !

jcorman@pasen.gov = Senate Chair

gkenney@pahousegop.com = House Chair