July 9, 2010 – U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the Obama administration will apply $25 million in existing federal funding to shorten waiting lists for drugs for people with HIV or AIDS.
Sebelius disclosed the funds transfer in a recent letter to Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Mike Enzi of Wyoming, who had twice written to her in recent weeks with their concerns about record-long waiting lists for people entitled to treatment through state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs). All ADAPs participate in the 340B drug discount program and they are among the largest purchasers of 340B discounted pharmaceuticals.
Sebelius told the senators she was confident that the $25 million would address ADAPs needs through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) reports that there were 2,291 people on ADAP waiting lists in 12 states as of July 8, well above the previous high of 1,629 people set in May 2004. NASTAD said in mid June that it would take an additional $126 million in emergency funding this fiscal year to solve the problem, five times more than the amount Sebelius announced. Ann Lefert, the group’s associate director of government relations, said that NASTAD “appreciates the action taken by the Obama administration, but we are not sure it will be sufficient.”
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) had harsh words for the administration’s announcement, calling it “simply too little, too late” during a July 8 teleconference.
“In May, a person on an ADAP waiting list in South Carolina died while on the waiting list,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein. “If the Obama administration plan serves as the only so-called ‘fix’ for this dangerous situation, we can be assured that the list of those waiting for lifesaving AIDS drugs will only increase and more deaths will follow.”
Burr, Coburn and Enzi have introduced a bill, S. 3401, to provide $126 million in unobligated economic stimulus funds to eliminate the waiting lists but it has failed thus far to gain traction in Congress.