News: TDH Providing Antivirals for High Risk Uninsured and Under-insured

The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic has created a higher demand for antiviral medications such as Tamiflu® and
Relenza®. The State of Tennessee will release antiviral medications from the state’s cache to increase access for the
uninsured and under-insured.

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) is developing an Antiviral Distribution Network as a primary mechanism for
distribution of the state’s emergency cache of antiviral medications. Community pharmacies will play a key role in the
effective distribution of these antiviral medications.

All community pharmacies are welcome and encouraged to participate in the Tennessee Antiviral Distribution Network.
The main considerations for selecting which specific pharmacy stores within each community will receive TDH Stockpile
will be geographic location, population demographics, and the distribution and severity of disease. The goal is to create a
network that will enhance distribution and convenience to Tennesseans through a balance of community and independent
pharmacy partners. All participating community pharmacies will be required to sign a no-cost contract with the TDH.

The antiviral medications will be distributed to participating pharmacies from the State to pre-determined and agreed upon
ship-to locations. The TDH will retain ultimate control of when and how much inventory is released from the state’s
antiviral cache.

The dispensing of TDH Stockpile antiviral medications from the pharmacies will be accomplished using the traditional
medical model. Patients will obtain prescriptions from prescribing medical providers and then take the prescriptions to
participating pharmacies in order to receive medications from the state’s antiviral cache. Patients who have valid
prescriptions specifying TDH Stockpile may be dispensed medication from the state’s antiviral cache. Likewise, should a
patient or a patient's caregiver express that the patient cannot pay for the medication; the pharmacy may dispense
medication from the state’s antiviral cache.

Conditions of Participation for Pharmacies

• The participating pharmacies will receive the antiviral medications from the state’s antiviral cache at no charge.
• These antiviral medications will be dispensed at no charge to patients who present valid prescriptions.
• A usual and customary dispensing fee may be charged by the dispensing pharmacy to the patient.
• Should the patient or patient's caregiver express that the patient cannot pay the dispensing fee, the pharmacy shall not
  charge the dispensing fee.
• The participating pharmacies will maintain the TDH Stockpile inventory of antivirals physically separate from the
  community pharmacy’s inventory.
• The participating pharmacies will maintain the TDH Stockpile of antivirals in a safe and secure location during
  distribution, storage, and dispensing.
• Participating pharmacies will need to submit reports about quantities of TDH Stockpile antiviral medication dispensed and
  on-hand.
  

Notice to Tennessee Medical Providers – Letter from the TDH (Download PDF)

State of Tennessee  Antiviral Distribution Network Guidance Document (Download PDF)

For more information regarding this program, please visit: www.tn.gov/health