First-of-its-Kind Study Finds Pre-Prescribed Emergency Medication Kits Get People Treated Fast and Avoid the ER

“Respondents reported high engagement, frequent use for common acute illness, rapid symptom resolution, infrequent and mild side effects, and preparedness benefits extending even to never-users.

These findings suggest that pre-prescribed emergency medication kits may represent a practical model for improving timely access to treatment and guided self-management of common acute illness.” – Dr. Peter McCullough, Chief Scientific Officer for The Wellness Company

(Boca Raton, FL) – Doctors from The Wellness Company announced this week that they had completed a first of its kind study regarding the use of pre-prescribed medications in medical emergency kits. The manuscript has been submitted for peer review.

According to Dr. Peter McCullough, Chief Scientific Officer for The Wellness Company, and one of the authors of the manuscript, 

“Respondents reported high engagement, frequent use for common acute illness, rapid symptom resolution, infrequent and mild side effects, and preparedness benefits extending even to never-users. These findings suggest that pre-prescribed emergency medication kits may represent a practical model for improving timely access to treatment and guided self-management of common acute illness.”

In addition to Dr. Peter McCullough, the manuscript was authored by Nicolas Hulscher, MPH, Kelly Victory, MD, Drew Pinsky, MD, James Thorp, MD, Peter Gillooly, MSc, and Harvey Risch, MD, PhD.

The study involved a cross-sectional online survey of verified purchasers of an eight-medication prescribed kit (506 respondents). We describe utilization, self-reported outcomes among intended-use episodes (medication taken by the prescribed recipient), safety signals, free-text themes, and rural–urban distribution.

Of 506 respondents, 364 (71.9%) had used it at least once. Repeat use was common, with 143 (28.3%) using it three or more times. Almost a 1/3 of those who utilized the kit reported using it while traveling or in a remote setting. More than 80% of those who utilized the kits reported meaningful improvement within three days and more than half perceived a reduced need for urgent care or the emergency room. Indeed, 86% of those who utilized the kits reported avoiding clinic, urgent care, or hospital visitation.

“It is clear from the results of this study that those who purchased medical emergency kits are using those kits and those who are using the kits are seeing meaningful improvement in their medical condition that allowed them to avoid a trip to urgent care or the hospital,” said Peter Gillooly, CEO of The Wellness Company. 

“We know how critical early treatment is across the board and the utilization of pre-prescribed medications in medical emergency kits can be a valuable tool in ensuring timely treatment,” said Nicolas Hulscher, MPH. “Timely access to prescription treatment for common acute illnesses remains uneven in the United States. Older adults face disproportionate burdens from clinic wait times and infectious exposure in waiting rooms. Rural residents and others with limited access to healthcare services may face significant barriers to obtaining timely prescription treatment for acute illnesses. For many acute infectious diseases, earlier initiation of appropriate treatment is associated with improved clinical outcomes and reduced morbidity and mortality.”

“As an emergency physician, I’ve spent my career watching the clock — in acute illness, hours matter,” said Dr. Kelly Victory. “This study shows that when families had the right medications already in hand, the overwhelming majority felt meaningfully better within three days and never needed a clinic, urgent care, or hospital. That isn’t just convenience. That is early intervention, and early intervention saves lives.”

“To our knowledge, this study provides the first real-world evidence on how direct-to-consumer prescribed emergency medication kits are actually used, and the picture that emerges is a positive one,” continued Dr. McCullough. “Engagement was near universal. Customers used their kits frequently for common acute illness, often at the times and in the places where conventional access and timely receipt of medication are most strained. They reported rapid recovery with few and uniformly mild side effects and benefit of some degree in 96% of intended-use episodes.” 

“Our findings indicate that pre-prescribed medication kits can function as a structured, well-received, and largely appropriately used approach— providing essential medications prescribed prophylactically—to managing common acute illness outside conventional care settings,” concluded McCullough.

THE FULL STUDY CAN BE FOUND HERE

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Contact Chris Barron at cbarron@rightturnstrategiesdc.com to arrange interviews with Dr. Peter McCullough, Dr. Kelly Victory, Dr. James Thorp, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Dr. Harvey Risch, Nicolas Hulscher or Peter Gillooly.