AHF Says Fuzeon Pricing Out of Reach of Most HIV Patients; Urges Drug Programs to Demand Reasonable Pricing

AHF Says Fuzeon Pricing Out of Reach of Most HIV Patients; Urges Drug Programs to Demand Reasonable Pricing

Business Wire - March 20, 2003

LOS ANGELES--AIDS Healthcare Foundation is deeply disappointed by today's announcement by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche which set pricing of Fuzeon, a promising new AIDS therapy, at just under $20,000 -- far out of reach of most HIV patients. Fuzeon is a new antiretroviral drug designed for HIV/AIDS patients who have failed to respond to other medications. The FDA approved the drug for use in combination with other antiretroviral medications to treat advanced HIV infection.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the U.S.'s largest not-for-profit HIV medical provider urged state officials in California, New York, and Florida (where AHF offers services) to refuse to add the drug to Medicaid and AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) formularies until Roche reduces the price to a level comparable with existing HIV/AIDS drugs.

"The exorbitant price of this new AIDS therapy Fuzeon has raised eyebrows among AIDS advocates, financial analysts and government officials and put the entire issue of AIDS drug pricing squarely under the microscope," said AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) President Michael Weinstein. "If just 15 percent of California's AIDS Drug Assistance Program's patients were on Fuzeon, they would use up more than half of the current entire yearly California ADAP budget -- more than $75 million. Medicaid programs are already dealing with states' fiscal crises, they cannot absorb the additional costs."

"There is simply no excuse for such a high price for this medication," said Clint Trout, AHF Associate Director of Federal Government Affairs. "Drug company claims of high manufacturing and research and development costs have been consistently found to be highly inflated," he added. "Roche won't even disclose its real costs, but we can reasonably assume that, like other AIDS drugs, the price of Fuzeon fuels Roche's unbelievably high profit margins and marketing costs. We've heard this song and dance before."

"Roche did not even invent Fuzeon," added Joey Wynn, AHF Director of Public Affairs-Florida. "It was initially discovered and developed at Duke University using $3.5 million in U.S. taxpayer funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). American taxpayers support this kind of medical research in the hopes that Americans may benefit from drugs like Fuzeon. No one says Roche can't make a buck, but it's unthinkable that so many sick Americans will suffer and die so Roche can make billions and spend billions on marketing."

"If Roche is allowed to price Fuzeon at this level, it will usher in a new era of price inflation in the U.S.," said Weinstein. "Other companies will follow Roche's example and new AIDS drugs will enter the market at similar prices. The time is now to draw a line in the sand. If we don't succeed, access to treatment will be sacrificed on the altar of pharmaceutical company excess."

AIDS Healthcare Foundation is the U.S.'s largest AIDS organization. AHF serves thousands of patients in California, New York and Florida regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. In addition, AHF currently operates two free AIDS treatment clinics in Africa: the Ithembalabantu (Zulu for "people's hope") Clinic in KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa & the Uganda Cares Healthcare Center in Masaka, Uganda. www.aidshealth.org.

CONTACT: AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Los Angeles Ged Kenslea, 323/860-5225

SOURCE: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

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