Milford chronicle., 1952-08-29
Drug Contract To
Save State Money

A unique contract which is eX-
pected to save thousands of dollars
annually in the cost of drugs and
medical requisites sold to the State
Welfare Department, and at the
same time simplify the sales pro-
cedure, has been arranged with the
Delaware Pharmaceutical Society,
DR.. Park W. Huntington, director
of the Welfare Department, an
nOunced today.
According to the terms of the
new contract, prices for drugs pUr-
chased by the welfare department
for it's clients will follow uniform
low price schedule which will be on
file with every member Druggist
in the state. According to this plan,
the same low prices will be charg-
ed for each prescription filled, re-
gardless of the location of the drug
store in the state. At the same time,
assurance is given to each recip-
lent that only drugs of the highest
quality are prescribed.
The contract is believed to be the
first of this kind in the country.
only the wholehearted coOpera-
tiOn of the Delaware Pharmaceuti-
cal Society made this contract pos
sible," DR.. Huntington said. Their
willingness to work with us in set
ting up a program which will save
the state money, simplify the sales
procedure, and give prompt service
TO the ill and disabled benefiRiaries
of the department, is an indication
of their sincere interest in the pub
lie welfare"
All licensed pharmacists who are
members of the Delaware Pharma-
ceutical Society have agreed to CO.
operate in the program. This in
Icludes practically all druggists in
the state. The contract was signed
Iiby J. w. Watson, of Wilmington,
president of the pharmaceutical So
ciety, and by its secretary, Harry
c. Zeisig, Milford. They were auth
Orized to make the arrangements
at the June meeting of the society.
Prices for other medical supplies
will be the lowest retail price pre-
vailing at the participating pharm-
acy, Dr. Huntington explained.
Where Fair Trade prices prevail,
| pharmacists will charge the fair
trade rate. In no instance will a
welfare department beneficiary be
charged more than a person not re-
ceiving state aid.
In purchasing medicines under
the new contract, welfare depart
ment social workers will give the
Druggist a prescription signed by
the doctor, with the name and ad-
dress of the client, or a standard
welfare department requisition
form properly fille6 out. The So
cial worker will sign the form upon
lreceiving the medicine.
The Druggist will bill the sec
retary of the society at the end of
the month for drugs and other
medical supplies sold under the
contract. The secretary, in turn
will bill the welfare department
charging a small fee for handling
the bookkeeping of the many sep
arate transactions.
The new system will greatly
simplify the purchase of medicine
DR.. Huntington said. AT present,
welfare department social workers
take a prescription to a Druggist
receive an estimate of the cost
from him, return to the welfare de-
partment for approval of the eX-
penditure, and then revisit the
druggist to purchase the article,
The new system streamlines this
procedure because prices are stand
ard, and billing is through the
SOciety's central office.
The system will take effect Sep
tember 1st. While the contract spe-
officially ends September 1, 1858, il
includes a provision to continue
in force year after year unless ter
minated by either contracting par
ty." Sixty days notice will be re-
quired to terminate it.
To safeguard the operation of the
plan, in all instances, prescriptions
and medical requisites must be an
original prescription of a medical
practitioner. duly licensed in the
State of Delaware. The prescrip-
ton in ali cases shall bear the
name and address of the patient
name and address of medical prac-
titioner, and signature Of respOn-