Sandoz to donate up to $10 million in generics to Americares

PRINCETON, N.J.  — Sandoz on Tuesday announced that it would be donating up to $10 million in generic medicines annually to Americares, an organization that responds to those affected by poverty or disaster with health programs, medicine and medical supplies. The initial donation will include more than 25 Sandoz products for treatment of infections, cardiovascular condition, eyecare, skin conditions and musculoskeletal pain. 

 

“Limited access to healthcare poses a significant barrier to long-term social and economic development around the world,” Sandoz president Peter Goldschmidt said. “Our collaboration with Americares will hopefully help thousands of people receive treatments that would otherwise be unavailable to them. At Sandoz, we are passionate about helping people around the world access high-quality medicine with a particular emphasis on meeting specific health needs in underprivileged communities.”

 

Sandoz said that it would make donations available throughout the year to Americares and that the product selection may change based on medical needs. The World Health Organization projects that more than 400 million people lack access to essential health services and more than 2 billion can’t afford necessary medication. Sandoz has partnered with Americares since 1989 and Novartis and Sandoz have donated more than $230 million worth of medicine to the organization since then. 

 

“This new collaboration with Sandoz will allow us to increase deliveries of some of the most essential and desperately needed medications to partner hospitals and health clinics in over 90 countries,” Americares president and CEO Michael J. Nyenhuis said. "Together we will give more patients in need a pathway to good health and opportunity so they can reach their full potential."

 

Sandoz also sponsors the New Life and New Hope initiative, which works to improve maternal and child health and reduce childbirth-associated complications, training more than 100 midwives in Ethiopia that have made an impact on more than 40,000 mothers and children. Additionally, Sandoz partners with the United Nations to deliver amoxicillin to avoid preventable deaths from pneumonia and launched Breathe Africa in Zambia. Breath Africa supports European doctors working with local healthcare professionals to improve asthma diagnoses and treatment.