Rx Open Activated to Report on Status of Pharmacies in Oklahoma

Washington, D.C. – Rx Response elevated its status to Alert and has activated Rx Open in the aftermath of the deadly tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. (www.RxResponse.org). Rx Response and Rx Open are initiatives of America’s bio-pharmaceutical supply system to help ensure the continued flow of medicine to patients in a severe public health emergency,

Rx Open is an online program that allows emergency managers and the public to readily locate open pharmacies in communities that have been impacted by severe weather or other events (www.rxopen.org). Early reports of the Moore tornado’s impacts on the health care system indicate severe damage to a major hospital and damage to area pharmacies.

With forecasts still calling for dangerous weather across this region of the country, Rx Response will continue to carefully monitor the impact of severe weather on the bio-pharmaceutical supply chain and report the status of area pharmacies at RxOpen.org.

Rx Response is a single point of contact for the entire bio-pharmaceutical supply system and relies on a robust network that allows federal and state emergency management officials to communicate with Rx Response regarding pharmaceutical needs and other issues which may impact the supply system. The communications are actively monitored by all segments of the pharmaceutical supply system to ensure the fastest possible resolution of any problems with the flow of medicine. Rx Response was developed in response to Hurricane Katrina and the threat of pandemic influenza. Its members include:

• American Hospital Association (AHA)
• American Red Cross
• Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
• Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPHA)
• Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA)
• National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)
• National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA)
• Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)

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