The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) has acquired the Charitable Pharmacies of America.

This acquisition marks the NAFC's second in three years, following its acquisition of Volunteers in Medicine in July 2021.

The Charitable Pharmacies of America is a non-profit association of pharmaceutical distributors, charitable pharmacies, pharmacists, and community advocates focused on improving access and standards for prescription services.

This collaboration is expected to reinforce the NAFC's position in America's healthcare safety net.

The partnership will lead to closer alignment in programmes and advocacy to serve uninsured and underinsured Americans better.

NAFC will manage all activities previously handled by the Charitable Pharmacies of America from its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.

NAFC president and CEO Nicole Lamoureux said: “The NAFC is honoured to welcome the Charitable Pharmacies of America.

“We have long been proud to partner in our efforts to address health inequities in our country and look forward to doing so even more closely in the future.”

The NAFC aims to address the needs of the uninsured and underinsured by supporting over 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics and Pharmacies nationwide.

Recently, the McKesson Foundation granted $1.28m over two years to the NAFC to address the critical needs of free and charitable clinics.

The funds will support breast cancer screenings, expand Medication Therapy Management (MTM) programmes, and implement food-as-medicine initiatives.