Free Lipitor, Viagra, 70 Other Drugs For Jobless

LINDA A. JOHNSON

The recession might be a little less painful for some Americans, who won't lose their prescription medications if they lose their jobs.

Pfizer Inc. said Thursday it will give away more than 70 of its most widely prescribed drugs, including Lipitor and Viagra, for up to a year to people who have lost jobs since Jan. 1 and have been taking the drug for three months or more. The announcement comes as the unemployment rate topped 8.9 percent in April.

Pfizer stands to benefit, too — by keeping its customers, and with a tax write-off that will cover much of the cost of the donations. The move also buys the world's largest drugmaker some good will as Washington looks to overhaul the health care system.

"Everybody knows now a neighbor, a relative who has lost their job and is losing their insurance. People are definitely hurting out there," Dr. Jorge Puente, Pfizer's head of pharmaceuticals outside the U.S. and Europe, told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Wednesday. "Our aim is to help people bridge this point."

The 70-plus drugs covered in the program include several diabetes drugs and some of Pfizer's top money makers, from cholesterol fighter Lipitor and painkiller Celebrex to fibromyalgia treatment Lyrica and Viagra for impotence. Also included are some antibiotics, antidepressants, heart medications, contraceptives and smoking cessation products. Cheaper generic versions are available for most of the drugs.