Banco Farmacéutico, OAFI and AECOSAR win the First Prize for Patients’ Associations in the VI Edition of the Treatment Adherence Observatory Award

OAFI, AECOSAR and Banco Farmacéutico, have been distinguished with the first prize for Patient Associations at the OAT awards for their work in improving access to effective treatments for patients at risk of pharmaceutical poverty. This recognition highlights their commitment to health and their determination to continue changing lives through safe treatment tailored to patients’ needs.

Barcelona, October 3rd, 2023

Last Wednesday, September 27, the organizations OAFI (Osteoarthritis Foundation International) and AECOSAR (Asociación Española por la Osteoporosis) joined Banco Farmacéutico (BF) to receive the first prize in the VI Edition of the Treatment Adherence Observatory Award in the category of Patient Associations. This recognition was awarded to the outstanding program developed by Banco Farmacéutico, in close collaboration with OAFI and AECOSAR.

The Patients’ Association Award is an annual recognition that honors exceptional efforts to improve the quality of life of patients and ensure adequate access to effective treatments. On this occasion, the program developed by Banco Farmacéutico, in partnership with OAFI and AECOSAR, was awarded first prize for its dedication to helping patients struggling with diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis who are at risk of pharmaceutical poverty.

The program developed by Banco Farmacéutico, OAFI and AECOSAR aims to provide medicines to people in situations of social exclusion and poverty in Spain, in order to promote a society based on equity in health.

This program is an effective action to act on the high-risk population, maintain adherence to the prescribed treatment and try to avoid desertion of medical treatment due to inability to afford the medication, thus reducing the suffering of people in pharmaceutical poverty, both directly and in their environment.

As stated by Dr. Vergés, President of OAFI and AECOSAR, “We continue to work tirelessly to help osteoarthritis and osteoporosis patients to have access to safe treatment adapted to their disease. By joining forces with BF in an initiative like this, we are able to reach many patients who cannot treat these diseases because they do not have the resources to do so”. From Banco Farmacéutico, they add: “It is very important for our entity to collaborate with organizations such as OAFI and AECOSAR that allow us to learn about very specific cases of pharmaceutical poverty. We must emphasize that if a person at risk of social exclusion has a health problem, his vulnerability increases exponentially and this can lead to a worsening of his pathology and/or the appearance of new ones”.

This recognition strengthens our determination to continue advancing in improving patient care and support, marking a significant milestone in our mission to provide meaningful relief to those who need it most.

This achievement also highlights the importance of collaboration and commitment among health organizations. OAFI, AECOSAR and Banco Farmacéutico demonstrate that joint effort and dedication can make a significant difference in people’s lives. Our work is a testament to what can be achieved when the medical community, patient organizations and society at large come together for a common goal: to provide quality care and support to those who need it most.