RelatedR.I. doctors urge CVS to expand access to injectable PrEP to prevent HIV

Gilead thinks that's fine. We think that's a problem.

CVS Caremark is a pharmacy benefit manager. We are hired by businesses, big and small, health plans, unions, and government entities - including many right here in Rhode Island - to negotiate down the cost of drugs in their benefits plans. Our purpose is to make medicine affordable and accessible: creating competition between drug makers, prioritizing lower-cost generics over brand drugs where appropriate, and building care programs that treat the whole person.

At this price, would employers be able to maintain comprehensive pharmacy benefits coverage? There is give and take in every budget.

Current guidelines from the United States Preventative Services Task Force are clear: Easy access to PrEP medications is critical for Americans who may be exposed to HIV. Right now, the task force has not added Yeztugo to its list of recommended PrEP therapies.

There are several highly effective pills and injections for PrEP. All these methods, when taken as directed, are effective at preventing HIV transmission: Truvada, the brand name for emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, a daily pill taken orally; Descovy, the brand name for emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, a daily pill taken orally, similar to Truvada but with a lower dose of tenofovir; and Apretude, the brand name for cabotegravir, an injectable medication given every two months.

These breakthroughs have transformed HIV prevention, and they should be celebrated. Yeztugo included. The core benefit of Yeztugo is that it is administered every six months, compared to other effective products that are administered more frequently.

Less frequent dosing may warrant a higher annual price, but thousands of dollars more?

Yeztugo is available through CVS Caremark's exceptions process. As part of my team's job assessing the safety and efficacy of current pharmaceuticals, we evaluate each therapy so that a broad set of options are available to patients. We cover low-cost generics alongside branded once-every-two-month injectables that are significantly more affordable than Yeztugo.

In an increasingly crowded therapy class, a generic-first approach remains the best way to deliver affordability, and most importantly, better health outcomes.

We welcome the opportunity to offer Yeztugo, but the price is staggering compared to safe and highly effective alternatives. Gilead Sciences sets the price for Yeztugo. To make it more affordable for people who need it, they can simply lower the price at any time.

There were more than 39,000 new HIV cases diagnosed in 2023, according to the most recent data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic men. Drugmakers can and should prioritize equitable access and realize the full potential of Yetzugo.

It is inappropriate for drugmakers to leverage updated federal guidelines in order to charge significantly more for products that are clinically similar to products already on the market. That is the reason we do not offer Yeztugo on our drug lists - the price puts it out of reach, intentionally, for the people who could benefit from it. We call on Gilead to lower its price.

A breakthrough to prevent HIV shouldn't break the bank - The Boston Globe