The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is criticizing Gilead Sciences over the cost of HIV medications, which advocates say strains Florida’s safety net.
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AIDS Healthcare Foundation calls out Gilead Sciences over the high cost of HIV medications in Florida
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is calling out Gilead Sciences over the price of its HIV medications, with the cost of lifesaving drugs now at the center of a growing debate in Florida.
Advocates say high drug prices are straining the states HIV safety net. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is escalating the issue, running full-page ads in five major Florida newspapers to criticize Gilead Sciences for the cost of its HIV medications.
According to the foundation, drugs like Biktarvy now cost more than $4,000 a month. They say this price has put pressure on Floridas AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
Tracy Jones, Southern Bureau Chief for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, says those costs are a key reason why the state removed the drug from its formulary.
“We are lucky that we have programs like ADAP that allow patients to have access to their medications no matter what their insurance plan is, but Florida this year experienced challenges and looked at cost cutting measures in order to save on the medications that they were giving out to patients or subsidizing through ADAP, and theyve chosen not to cover Biktarvy because the cost is so astronomical,” Jones said.
Neighbor Timothy Sneed says he already feels the impact of recent cuts to HIV medication funding, even though temporary funding is currently in place. He worries about what could come next later this summer if the state does not act.
“They need to find other areas that they can cut back on,” Sneed said.
“Right now, approximately one bottle of medication is costing over like approximately $2,000 where a few months ago was only like $1,700,” Sneed said.
ABC27’s Lentheus Chaney reached out to Gilead Sciences for comment and received a statement. The company says it provides significant discounts to Floridas ADAP program and has committed not to increase pricing through 2026. Gilead also says there have been no recent price increases that would explain the states changes.
Lawmakers approved a $31 million funding fix to keep the ADAP program running through the end of June, but they kept Biktarvy off the programs formulary.
Jones says without long-term funding solutions, access to HIV care could remain uncertain for thousands of Floridians.
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