May 16, 2012

Bill to Create $3B Fund in Exchange for Generic HIV Drugs

The U.S. Senate is considering a bill to create a $3 billion fund to offer a prize to developers of new medications in exchange for allowing those drugs to immediately go generic, Politico reports. Many HIV-positive individuals still struggle to pay for expensive medications, and the recession is making it even harder. As of April 2012, 10 states had waiting lists for their AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP) and 15 had taken “cost-containment steps.” And despite the fact that ADAPs are able to get medications at discounted prices, it still costs about $10,000 per patient per year to cover drugs. Senator Bernie Sanders (I–Vt.) has proposed the bill as a way to close gaps in care and get cheaper meds to the people who need them.  

To read the Politico article, click here.

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