Across the country “The Great Recession” is causing states to strip their budgets and make cuts to social programs. HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs that supply medicine to low income patients are being cut and leaving people without some of their medications.
State HIV/AIDS treatment programs have stop accepting new participants and thousands of patients are on waiting list. Some states have also cut certain medications from their programs. The Virginia AIDS Drugs Assistance Program cut dozens of medications from their program along with closing enrollment. While some of the medications are available as generic brands, some of the latest drugs can only be purchased at a certain price.
Florida‘s AIDS Drug Assistance Program is facing a $14.5 million funding gap and could run out of money by mid- February. The state receives a good amount of its funding from the federal government and the state will not receive new funding until April. Florida’s program has the largest amount on people on its waiting list at over 2800 patients. Patients on the waiting list received antiretroviral drugs from manufacturers “Patients Assistance Program”, but are unable to receive nonessential drugs that treat side effects.
The Florida Health Department is actively seeking solutions to still serve patients during the six week funding gap. ``We're running out of money, and we're trying to help the patients through this six-week gap,'' said Tom Liberti, chief of the HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Florida Department of Health. ``We're exploring all our options.'' Liberti is also advocating for more funding at state and federal levels.
The demand for AIDS drugs assistance has risen over the past two years and has also contributed to programs funding gaps.
Source: Miami Herald, Florida Independent
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