GOVERNOR CRIST APPLAUDS PUBLIX HEALTH CARE INITIATIVE

August 6, 2007

Contact:

ERIN ISAAC
(850) 488-5394

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today applauded Publix Supermarkets for launching a free prescription drug program. Secretary Andrew Agwunobi, of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and Charlie Jenkins Jr., chief executive officer of Publix Supermarkets, joined Governor Crist for the announcement at the Midpoint Center Publix in Cape Coral.

“Health and wellness is crucial to every Floridian’s quality of life and paramount to the vitality of our state,” said Governor Crist. “We appreciate great partners like Publix Supermarkets working to further provide affordability and accessibility to quality prescription drugs for working families and seniors.”

Seven popular antibiotics will be available at no charge for people with valid prescriptions. The free antibiotics are available to customers regardless of their heath care coverage and are provided in up to two-week supplies. Publix estimates that the antibiotics account for almost 50 percent of generic, pediatric prescriptions filled at the supermarkets’ pharmacies.

The prescription antibiotics available under the program include:

Amoxicillin
Cephalexin
Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP)
Ciprofloxacin (excluding ciprofloxacin XR)
Penicillin VK
Ampicillin
Erythromycin (excluding Ery-Tab)

“At Publix, we’re working hard to develop a complete health and wellness program,” said Charlie Jenkins Jr. “From the nutrition information in our stores to the services in our pharmacies, Publix is committed to the health and wellness of our customers. I’m pleased that we can make this program available and use it to further serve the needs of our customers and their families.”