by Lynda Dee
The Fair Pricing Coalition (FPC) was created in 1999 to address excessive prices for HIV antiretroviral drugs. Since that time, the FPC has also been involved in curbing price increases and improving patient access to anti-HIV drugs. We have pressured every major HIV drug company to provide free transparent access to patients who do not have insurance or have limited insurance through Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs), and to institute co-pay programs for patients who have insurance, but who cannot afford their co-pays. The FPC has also been pressuring HCV drug companies to provide all HCV patients with the same access to HCV drugs since 2010.
All the major HIV drug companies, except Genetech and Janssen provide free drugs to patients with household income of 500% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or $57,450.00. These companies are Abbvie, formerly Abbott, Bristol-Meyer Squibb, Genentech/Roche, Gilead, Merck and ViiV Healthcare. The Genentech FPL income criteria is 950% of the FPL. Janssen’s PAP income criteria is 400% of the FPL or $45,960.00. BUT JANSSEN WILL MAKE EXCEPTIONS. REMEMBER, THE SQUEAKY WHEEL ALWAYS GETS THE ATTENTION.
Now that the $35,000,000 allocated by President Obama in the 2011 budget for ADAPs has disappeared in the 2013 Continuing Resolution (CR) that was recently passed by Congress, people with HIV will need these access programs more than ever. Please go to the FPC website link below to obtain detailed information on all these programs, including recently updated contact information for each company. Please also let your friends and colleagues know about these programs so that no one goes without their medications.
You can also let us know via our website if you have any problems or issues.