OHIO — From Canton to Columbus to Cincinnati, there are charitable pharmacies that provide free medication to those in need.

What You Need To Know

  • Charitable pharmacies across the state are helping people get free medication  

  •  In order to qualify, patients have to be either underinsured or uninsured and their incomes have to be at or below 300% of the federal poverty line 

  • St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy recently opened a new location in southwest Ohio

Since 2006, St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy has been doing that in Southwest Ohio. Every month, it serves around 900 people across its three locations. 

To qualify, patients have to be uninsured or underinsured. Their incomes must also be at or below 300% of the federal poverty line. The goal of these pharmacies is to help people not only get the medication they need, but to give them the tools to be self-sufficient. 

“Our model is to sit down with people, to really educate them about their medications, to partner with them, to help them set lifestyle goals,” said Rusty Curington, St. Vincent de Paul’s vice president of pharmacy. “Hopefully, they’re able to get off of medicine.”

Across the state, the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio helps people in Columbus, while Beacon Charitable Pharmacy in Canton serves the community in northeast Ohio.