Amid hydroxychloroquine shortage caused by COVID-19, lupus patients unite to protect supplies

RESTON, Va. - July 2, 2020 - PRLog -- The global COVID-19 pandemic caused people everywhere to hoard the drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for the virus. The result was a dire shortage and price inflation of the drug that is a critical treatment for slowing the progression of the autoimmune disease lupus.

Now, the founders of a new initiative hope to provide a way for lupus patients to access hydroxychloroquine while sparking a national conversation about public health emergency preparedness and health disparities: 90 percent of all people affected by lupus are women, and African Americans are three to four times more likely to develop the disease.

The Lupus Stockpile, sponsored by Hypatia Group, is a grassroots effort established by lupus patients for lupus patients to fill hydroxychloroquine prescriptions via U.S.P.S. overnight mail. Launched April 1, the project initially focused on serving lupus patients in the states hardest hit by hydroxychloroquine shortages.

The initiative was founded by Dr. Kelly McVearry, the managing partner of Hypatia Group and a lupus patient.

"Outbreaks are unpredictable, but preparedness shouldn't be," Dr. McVearry said. "As the hydroxychloroquine shortage has abated and prices have normalized, we risk forgetting that all patient groups remain vulnerable if we don't address our supply chain dependencies at a national level."

Through the project, patient advocates like Dr. McVearry have sponsored a container of hydroxychloroquine at The Compounding Center, a Virginia-based compounding pharmacy committed to ethical pricing standards.

"At The Compounding Center, we're working hard to ensure we have adequate supplies from our supply chain to care for our community," said Dr. Jay Gill, owner of The Compounding Center.

For lupus patients without insurance, the pharmacy will provide the medication at no cost to patients with a valid prescription. All shipping and prescription fulfilment costs will be paid by the Lupus Stockpile sponsor.

The Lupus Stockpile does not sell, resell, dispense, or otherwise broker any medication-related transactions. Instead, the patient-sponsored project facilitates access to medication for lupus patients during extraordinary times of need.

Lupus patients with a prescription for hydroxychloroquine can contact The Compounding Center by phone at 703-779-3301 or by fax at 703-443-2283 to have a prescription filled using the code word "Lupus Stockpile."

Pharmacies that wish to participate in the Lupus Stockpile can contact Alex Nguyen at 571-346-7612.

For more information about the Lupus Stockpile, go to https://stockpileforlupus.org.

About Hypatia Group, Inc.
Hypatia Group, Inc. is a patient-led company that designs, builds and invests in emerging technologies that accelerate patient solutions and public health benefit. Learn more at http://www.hypatiaproject.com.