HIV/AIDS activists call for an end to profiteering by drug companies for PrEP

“HIV/AIDS activists, among them the originators of ACT UP, gathered in New York City last night,” according to Towleroad.com. “Larry Kramer, Peter Staley, Jim Eigo, Matt Ebert, and James Krellenstein released a joint statement regarding their meeting calling for an end to profiteering by pharmaceutical companies with regard to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis).”

According to a statement by Peter Staley on his Facebook page, the group gathered for dinner in the same room where Gay Men’s Health Crisis was originated. Peter Staley is a long time HIV/AIDS and LGBT rights activist.

The group issued this statement:

“We – AIDS activists, new and old, aged 24 to 80 – have just broken bread in the same apartment where GMHC was formed, coming together for a lively discussion on how to reduce HIV infections among gay men and trans women. Although we may not see eye-to-eye on every issue we debated tonight, we all agree that Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective at protecting a person from HIV infection. While PrEP isn’t for everyone, any individual who thinks they are at risk of getting HIV should have easy access to it, without judgement. 

“We are fed up with Gilead’s abusive pricing of its near monopolies in drugs that treat and prevent HIV. Truvada as PrEP was not their idea, and came to market based on research they didn’t pay for. Gilead’s PrEP profiteering must end. Full access to lifesaving drugs has been a hallmark of our movement, and we will join with AIDS activists across America and around the world to double-down on this push for health equity.

“PrEP, along with condoms, TasP (Treatment as Prevention), and better access to healthcare, are now essential public health tools in lowering HIV infections among gay men and trans women. We must use every tool necessary to help them – and to help all those at risk – stop this virus, once and for all.

“ACT UP, Fight Back, Fight AIDS.”

TasP, or “Treatment as Prevention, refers to HIV prevention methods that use antiretroviral treatment (ART) to decrease the risk of HIV transmission,” according to AVERT, one of the first charities to provide people with knowledge about HIV. “ART reduces the HIV viral load in the blood, semen, vaginal fluid and rectal fluid to very low levels ('undetectable'), reducing an individual's risk of onwards HIV transmission.

“For a number of years now, there has been growing evidence of the benefits of HIV treatment as a prevention method. In 2011, a landmark study, HPTN 052, showed early initiation of antiretroviral treatment (in people with a CD4 count between 350 and 550) for the HIV-positive partner in a serodiscordant couple reduced HIV transmission to the HIV-negative partner by 96%.”

PrEP is short for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. One of the most common drugs used for PrEP is Gilead’s Truvada. According to GoodRX.com Truvada costs $1,374 or more for a 30-day supply.

Gilead also produces Stribild, a one-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used as a complete HIV-l treatment. A month’s supply costs between $2,600 and $2,800.

Another Gilead drug, Solvadi, fights Hepatitis C, and costs $1,000 per pill. It is the preferred treatment for the disease. Gilead, according to a recently released Senate Finance Committee report, placed profits over patients in the pricing of Solvadi. The report expressed concern in particular about the fact that only 2.4 percent of Medicaid patients got the treatment in 2014. (For more information on the Senate report, go to http://www.gayly.com/report-drug-maker-was-focused-profits-not-patients).

Gilead, on its website, brags about its work worldwide to treat HIV/AIDS. It says, “Viread® (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and Truvada® (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) are recommended by the World Health Organization as components of antiretroviral therapy. We make these medicines available in low- and middle-income countries through two means:

• We work with regional business partners to provide Viread and Truvada at steeply discounted prices that represent little or no profit to us.
• We work with generic licensing partners in India, China and South Africa to produce high-quality, low-cost versions of our HIV therapies to sell in developing countries.”

The group of activists gathered in New York have all been long-time HIV/AIDS activists. Larry Kramer is perhaps the most well-known of the group. They have devoted much of their lives to “stop this virus – once, and for all.”

The Gayly – December 8, 2015 @ 12:50 p.m.