Bristol-Myers Squibb relents on AIDS drug pricing following sustained AHF advocacy campaign

Following ongoing advocacy campaigns spearheaded by the USA-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) that targeted several of the largest AIDS drug companies over their pricing and rebate policies for the nation's AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), the federally funded, state run programs that supply lifesaving AIDS drugs to low-income Americans in need, that the last remaining major AIDS drug company, Bristol-Myers Squibb this week announced an agreement that will provide additional cost savings to cash-strapped ADAPs nationwide (The Pharma Letter July 28).

Prior to B-MS' announcement of an agreement, with the ADAP Crisis Task Force (ACTF) of the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), Merck & Co, Johnson & Johnson's Tibotec Therapeutics, Gilead Sciences, Viiv Healthcare (a new drug company formed in a partnership between GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer) and Abbott Labs all offered significant discounts and pricing concessions to cash-strapped ADAPs.

Among B-MS' commitments in the deal are the provision of its HIV medicines to eligible patients based on medical and financial needs and paying the first $200/month ($2,400/year) of an eligible patient's out-of-pocket co-pay costs for up to one year.