TAMPA, FLORIDA, SEPTEMBER 7th, 2023 - Angels for Change announces 2023 Project PROTECT Grant Award winners.
Drug shortages are a significant crisis for our nation's patients, hospitals, physicians, and pharmacists. 99% of hospital pharmacists are navigating at least one essential medicine shortage every day. Patients and prescribers across the United States must have equal access to the medicines they need to survive.
In 2022, Angels for Change launched Project PROTECT, a new approach to mitigate drug shortages by building redundant onshore supply of vulnerable essential medicines. Utilizing drug shortage prediction powered by USP’s Medicine Supply Map, supply chain partnerships, and non-profit grants that incentivize production, we proactively predicted two shortages and increased supply, thus limiting patient impact of the disruption. This work resulted in 700,000 life-saving drug shortage treatments accessed by patients, mostly children, across the United States. Read more here.
Today, Angels for Change announces our 2023 Project PROTECT grant award winners and the seven essential medicines they will take on as Protectors. Each PROTECT grant was funded through grass roots, charitable fundraising activities and presented to representatives of PROTECT organizations in-person by Founder and Chief Change Maker, Laura Bray.
Fagron, a global leader in pharmaceutical compounding, was awarded a Project PROTECT grant on May 17, 2023, for the essential medication Dextrose. Fagron Sterile Services US (FSS), a leading FDA-registered and inspected 503B Outsourcing partner to hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers in all 50 states, will produce this essential medication. FSS produces sterile medications at state-of-the-art facilities located in Boston, MA, and Wichita, KS.
FSS has a long history of supporting patient care through its work with IDNs and GPOs to create supply chain resiliency while advancing patient safety. With the Angels for Change grant, FSS will develop and produce Dextrose so that patients across the US will continue to have access to this at-risk medication. Dextrose is widely used for critical IV solutions and nutritional support.
"We are honored to be recognized as a Protector of Dextrose by Angels for Change," said Andrew Pulido, President, Fagron North America. "Our global footprint and our team's unwavering dedication to maintaining a robust supply chain help ensure that patients receive the vital medication they need – without disruption. This partnership serves as a testament to our ongoing commitment to patients and excellence in pharmaceutical compounding."
On June 28, 2023, Leiters Health was awarded 4 project PROTECT grants for Magnesium, Calcium Chloride, Potassium Acetate and Sodium Phosphate. Leiters provides high-quality compounded sterile preparations across the healthcare continuum to hospitals, surgery centers, clinics and physician offices. As part of its ongoing commitment to quality, compliance, and sterile manufacturing excellence, Leiters continues to invest in its state-of-the-art FDA-registered 503B facilities, including two existing facilities in Denver, Colorado, and a new facility in Buena, New Jersey, which will be operational in 2024.
“Drug shortages are a concerning public health issue. They cause major disruption to the healthcare supply chain, pharmacy operations, and ultimately negatively impact patient care," said Joseph Cosgrove, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Leiters Health. “We look forward to working with Angels for Change and we stand ready to support the critical medication needs of the healthcare community now and in the future.”
STAQ Pharma, a 503B Outsourcing Facility with locations in Denver, CO and Columbus, OH was awarded two project PROTECT grants on June 29, 2023 for Furosemide and Bumetanide. STAQ was also awarded 2 grants in 2022 for Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride becoming the Protector of 4 essential medicines. STAQ Pharma is known in the industry as the "Hospital Owned 503B'' because of its equity ownership by hospitals, its commitment to quality, its ability to produce long dated compounded products under cGMP, the on-going membership on its Board of Directors of Hospital Executives, and because of its work focusing on drug shortages experienced regularly by adult pediatric hospitals. Furosemide and Bumetanide are used to reduce extra fluid in the body (edema) caused by conditions such as congestive heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease. There are limited alternatives to these drugs. Protecting them together will ensure consistent supply across the country in a ready to administer format.
“STAQ Pharma is proud to support Angels for Change and our partner hospitals through the PROTECT program. We have seen firsthand how this program has been able to support over 700,000 patients with lifesaving medications and are excited to continue into the next phase with additional medications where we can support millions of patients,” said President Mark Spiecker.
“Last year, we took the step to protect patients from shortage of just two medicines and that step resulted in 700,000 treatments being accessed. 700,000 times lives were saved! I am thankful that Fagron, Leiters, and STAQ Pharma were willing to become Protectors with us as we scale this project and proud that by the end of 2023, we will have protected patients from the impact of shortage for 9 essential medicines.” said Laura Bray.
Project PROTECT is a scalable model developed to protect US patients from the impact of more than 100 essential medicines vulnerable to shortage. Angels for Change is committed to continue to partner with the supply chain to protect these life-saving medicines ensuring access for all patients. To learn more about PROTECT go to https://www.angelsforchange.org/project-protect
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About Angels for Change
Angels for Change is a volunteer supported, global, 501c3 organization started in Tampa, FL on a mission to end drug shortages through advocacy, awareness, and a resilient supply chain. Founder, Laura Bray, was driven to start Angels for Change after her own child faced 3 life-saving drug shortages in 9 months of pediatric cancer treatment. Each day Angels for Change advocates on behalf of any patient in a life-saving drug shortage, while building relationships with patients and members of the pharmaceutical supply chain to end all healthcare crises created by drug shortages. www.angelsforchange.org
About Fagron Sterile Services US
Fagron Sterile Services US (FSS) is a globally integrated 503B outsourcing partner to hospitals and other healthcare facilities, creating supply chain resiliency while advancing patient safety. With an unwavering commitment to quality, safety, and innovation, FSS’s FDA-registered and inspected cGMP compliant operations play a pivotal role in addressing drug shortages and ensuring the availability of high-quality medications in all 50 states.
The FSS portfolio includes support for Critical Care, Labor and Delivery, Ophthalmics, Pain Management, and Oncology, while offering other innovative specialty solutions like the only sterile LET gel available in the marketplace. Through its dedication to providing a reliable supply of essential medications, Fagron Sterile Services US helps empower patient care, contributing to the overall well-being of communities nationwide. To learn more about Fagron Sterile Services, visit www.fagronsterile.com
About Leiters Health
Leiters Health, a WCAS portfolio company, is a trusted FDA-registered 503B outsourcing provider of high-quality compounded sterile preparations and pharmacy services. It is committed to providing healthcare professionals and patients with critically needed outsourced medications. Its team of experts in sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing, repackaging, and compounding provides a sophisticated understanding of what it takes to elevate the quality and consistency of supply in pharmaceutical outsourcing. Leiters Health combines a highly experienced team, with robust automated processes, in state-of-the-art outsourcing facilities to ensure the delivery of the highest quality medicines. All sterile preparations are produced under the Human Drug Outsourcing Facilities under 503B of the FD&C Act (503B Guidance) and follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). To learn more about Leiters Health, please visit www.leiters.com.
About STAQ Pharma Inc.
STAQ Pharma (Safety, Transparency, Availability, Quality) is a 503B Outsourcing facility headquartered in Denver, CO. STAQ is a CGMP manufacturing facility designed to produce compounded medications in prefilled syringes and IV bags for anesthesia and surgical procedures. STAQ produces sterile to sterile and non-sterile to sterile and relies heavily on automation, ensuring adequate supply and compliance with FDA regulations. STAQ is focused on adult and pediatrics, to ensure that our biggest and littlest patients get the right dose at the right concentrations. You can learn more about us at www.staqpharma.com.
