By Bunmi Yekini
HIV advocacy group PrEP4All has commended global efforts to expand access to lenacapavir, while criticizing Gilead Sciences for failing to make the drug affordable in the U.S. This comes after Gilead’s October 2nd announcement that it had signed royalty-free licensing agreements with six generic manufacturers to produce and distribute the HIV prevention drug in 120 high-incidence, resource-limited countries.
PrEP4All welcomed the global move but expressed concern over the lack of affordability for U.S. communities most in need. “This announcement speaks to the power of global advocates who have built a movement around access to long-acting injectable HIV prevention options,” said Jeremiah Johnson, Executive Director of PrEP4All. “However, we cannot leave behind U.S.-based communities that have been shut out of PrEP access due to Gilead’s price gouging and manipulation of the entire domestic PrEP response.”
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Currently priced at $42,250 per year for HIV treatment, lenacapavir remains out of reach for many in the U.S., hindering its integration into public health initiatives aimed at expanding HIV prevention. Johnson warned that without a public health price, efforts such as the National PrEP Program would struggle to achieve equitable access. “Advocates should feel energized to see this fight through; to make sure that no community is left behind in accessing comprehensive HIV prevention options, domestically or globally,” he said.
Michael Chancley, PrEP4All’s Communications and Mobilization Manager, highlighted the racial disparities in PrEP uptake in the U.S. “Despite making up 39% of new diagnoses, Black people make up only 14% of PrEP users,” he said. “If future modalities like long-acting injectables don’t address the high cost of medication, we will be having the same discussions about racial disparities in uptake years from now.”
While global access to lenacapavir is expanding, U.S. advocates are calling on Gilead to reduce prices and ensure the drug is accessible to uninsured and underinsured individuals across the country.