HIV prevention drug priced out of reach for 90% of those that need it

For the 1.2 million Americans at high risk of contracting HIV, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can prevent them from contracting the virus. Unfortunately, the high cost of PrEP keeps 90% of people at risk from accessing the drug. Since Gilead Sciences’ Truvada (Emtricitabine / Tenofovir), the brand name version of PrEP, was approved six years ago, its average wholesale price has increased by about 45 percent. In 2018, Gilead sold it for a whopping $2,000 for just a 30-day supply.

SOURCES: James Krellenstein, Aaron Lord and Peter Staley, The New York Times; Shefali Luthra and Anna Gorman, NPR

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