We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded and directed by state legislators. The Association was incorporated as a 501c4 nonprofit in 2000. Our mission is to assist legislators who seek to work jointly across state lines to make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible to people in the United States, especially by reducing prescription drug prices. Some of the amazing activities of the Association include:

• Serving as a clearinghouse for research and information relating to the pricing of prescription drugs and other public policies and strategies to increase access to pharmacy benefits at a fair price;
  Providing a forum for the discussion, development and coordination of public policy strategies to reduce prescription drug prices;
• Encouraging and supporting the enactment of legislation to reduce prescription drug prices and expand access to affordable medicines;
• Initiating and coordinating communication with members of the United States Congress and with Federal agencies to promote federal laws and policies, to reduce prescription drug prices and expand access;
• Coordinating the Working Group on Prescription Drugs and Trade and educating legislators and other policy makers about the impact of trade policies on access to affordable medicines;
  Urging development of federal and state assistance and insurance programs offering prescription drug coverage; and
• Defending innovative policies that expand access to affordable medicines when those policies are challenged in court.

The Association has become a leader in the national discussion on reducing prescription drug prices. Information sharing has played a vital role in progress around the region and the country. The Association has regular meetings that have been described as summits, which bring together leaders from around the country to learn about the latest strategies to advance the goal of reducing prescription drug prices and expanding access to more affordable prescription drugs.

We maintain an electronic distribution list of legislators, administrators, members of the media, and interested groups and citizens from around the country, and produce an weekly electronic newsletter which includes relevant media reports, current state activities, model legislation and policy information including statistics and research.

Current membership includes the legislatures of Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. In addition, the Pennsylvania Senate has joined. Individual legislators also participate in the Working Group on Prescription Drugs and Trade or have joined as Associate Members, including legislators from Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia. Policy makers from many other states regularly contact the Association for information, receive our newsletter, and participate in our meetings. For more information about joining contact our Executive Director Sharon Treat at nlarx@gwi.net or go to our 2009 Officers page.