AARP, the nationwide senior citizens’ advocacy group, is planning a more proactive role in making available prescription drugs at a lower price for its 35 million members and all other seniors across the country.

Officials at the organization said they would join lawsuits to challenge the methods used by major brand-name drug manufacturers to prevent their drugs being copied as generic drugs and marketed.

The AARP also plans to join lawsuits in which the drug companies have challenged programs developed by several states to buy large quantities of drugs to be sold to their citizens at lower prices. The drug companies have charged that the states’ programs are using the Medicaid law improperly to get the drug discounts or rebates.

AARP’s executive dSenior

Spotlight

By John Toscano

AARP To Join Law Suits To Lower Rx Costsirector, William D. Novelli, stated in a newspaper story on the subject, "We plan to join several highprofile cases that would make generic drugs more readily available to consumers."

Organization officials feel interceding could help by emphasizing consumer interests in cases where the issues are anti-trust and patent law. They also want to get into settlement negotiations on behalf of their members.

Generic drugs, which are exact copies of big name, high priced drugs, generally cost from 20 percent to 30 percent of the brand name drugs, sometimes more. The Food and Drug Administration has mandated that generics have the same active ingredients as the brand name drugs and produce the same effects as the higher priced ones when taken by a person.

Some major drug firms have been charged with unlawfully paying millions of dollars to generic drug manufacturers to keep their products off the market.

The major drug companies agree there is an important role for generic drugs in the health care system, but argue that if the role of generics is extended too far, it would reduce the amount of money that is used for research to produce new drugs that improve and prolong patients’ lives.

From the consumer point of view, the major drug companies are charged with making huge profits to cover their businesses’ operating expenses as well as investing in research. Meanwhile, many seniors are forced to use most of their income for life-sustaining medication. President George W. Bush has offered some programs of minor impact to offset these high costs and he and the Congress have not been able to agree on adding a drug prescription benefit to Medicare or creating any other program to help senior consumers.

‘OLDER AMERICANS MONTH’: Since 1963, May has been designated as Older Americans Month, a time to honor the contributions older people have made to this great country, says city Department for the Aging (DFTA) Commissioner Edwin Mendez–Santiago.

"This year, we want to salute outstanding seniors who continue to use their wisdom, skills and experience to help make New York City a better place for all of us," Mendez–Santiago said. Toward that end, DFTA is seeking exceptional older New Yorkers to honor on Salute to Senior Citizens Day, to be held this special month.

DFTA has selected the theme "Not the Retiring Type" to showcase seniors who continue to remain active, productive community members, but have generally remained unrecognized.

"If you know someone age 60+ who, for example, ran the New York City marathon last year, or is still practicing medicine or who organized a neighborhood crime watch, or recently received a college degree, the Department for the Aging wants to hear about them," says a DFTA release.

Fifteen outstanding New Yorkers, three from each borough, will be chosen for recognition and will be invited as special guests to the Older Americans Day celebration next month.

Anyone who knows of an exceptional New Yorker who is not the retiring type, contact DFTA with the following information:

•Name, age, and nominee’s borough of residence.

•How to contact nominee—address or telephone number.

•In 500 words or less, describe the nominee’s special achievements, contributions to the community, unusual activities, long-held or unique jobs or special talents.

•The name and contact information of the person submitting the information.

Send to the Department for the Aging, Public Affairs Office, 2 Lafayette St., 7th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10007, fax to (212) 676-0685 or e-mail to mward@aging.nyc.gov. All nominations must be received by this Friday, May 3. For more information, call (212) 442-1111.

MEETING: The Tyrone Pipers, members of the New York City Police Department Emerald Society bagpipe band, will entertain at the next meeting of AARP Jackson Heights Chapter No. 991 on Wednesday, May 15, at 1 p.m.; at the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights, 37-06 77 St., Jackson Heights.