In what is being reported by public health officials as the worst flu season in the past decade, Direct Relief USA has distributed nearly 200,000 doses of flu vaccine to 265 nonprofit health centers and clinics in 38 states and is working to expand support as the flu season rages on.

Direct Relief USA is the nation’s largest nonprofit charitable medicine program and provides donations of medications, vaccine, and medical supplies to serve low-income, uninsured patients through a network of more than 1,000 nonprofit health centers and clinics in all 50 states.

The 197,000 doses of vaccine that have already been provided free of charge through the Direct Relief USA network were donated to Direct Relief by Merck and Sanofi Pasteur.  Direct Relief is continuing to work with manufacturers and the community-based health centers and clinics to assess and respond to needs.

The network of nonprofit health centers and clinics serve as a critical healthcare safety net in the United States and provide primary care and referral services to more than 23 million people.  Direct Relief is the only nonprofit organization in the United States that is licensed to distribute prescription medications in all 50 U.S. states and is the sole nonprofit accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as a Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributor.