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for HIV Medicaid Coverage |
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John S. James
AIDS Treatment News
Congress Considering Medicaid Coverage for Persons with HIV: Call Your Representatives
"Congress is considering including the "Early Treatment for
HIV Act" in legislation before it adjourns for the year.
Your help is needed immediately!!
"The Early Treatment for HIV Act (H.R. 1591), introduced by Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Richard Gephardt (D-MO) would give states the option to extend Medicaid coverage to uninsured low-income people living with HIV. Under current rules, most people living with HIV are ineligible for Medicaid until they reach the Social Security definition of disability, which generally includes an AIDS diagnosis and disabling symptoms. If states wish to cover people living with HIV who haven't reached this definition under their Medicaid programs, they have to apply for a Medicaid waiver. That process is lengthy and burdensome..." (Quoted from action alert by Project Inform Treatment Action Network.) Calls and letters are relevant until Congress either passes the bill, or adjourns for the year. For current information contact the Treatment Action Network, tan@projectinform.org South Africa: Historic "Defiance Campaign" Imports Generic Fluconazole By John S. James Last week South Africa's Treatment Action Committee (TAC), the major HIV treatment activist group in the country, defied patent laws by importing generic fluconazole from Thailand, where TAC purchased it more than 50 times cheaper than the South African retail price, according to news reports in the country. Many people in Africa have died because they could not afford the drug--including activist and TAC member Christopher Moraka, who had testified to a committee of parliament about the need for fluconazole and about its inflated price. The campaign to import the drug and raise this issue has been named after him. For months patent holder Pfizer has been negotiating with the South African government to provide fluconazole free to the government for treating cryptococcal meningitis--but apparently not for major candidiasis (thrush) infections, which killed Christopher Moraka, and apparently with no price reduction for patients who cannot get the drug through the government program but have to purchase it privately. Pfizer made the donation announcement after TAC had raised the issue by asking the company to either reduce its price to twice the generic price, or license someone else to do so. The company's press release reaped great international publicity, but in the months since, not one capsule has reached a single patient.
TAC has asked for international awareness and support. More information will be available at www.tac.org.za/ or at www.healthgap.org/ In North America, financial contributions can be made through the South Africa Development Fund, 555 Amory St., Boston MA 02130, 617-522-5511, freesa@igc.org; make checks payable to the South Africa Development Fund, and indicate the funds are for the TAC Christopher Moraka Defiance Campaign. According to TAC's October 17 press release, "100% of the donation will go to purchasing and distributing medication via qualified health professionals only, free of charge to patients." Comment It's time to call an end to the current system where tens of thousands of people must die routinely to protect the profits of giant corporations with the political influence money can buy. We do need patent protection to provide incentive for drug development, but the rules must be changed so that they do not have horrible consequences. That's what the Christopher Moraka Defiance Campaign Against Patent Abuse is about. AIDS Treatment News Published twice monthly Subscription and Editorial Office: P.O. Box 411256 San Francisco, CA 94141 800/TREAT-1-2 toll-free U.S. and Canada 415/255-0588 regular office number Fax: 415/255-4659 E-mail: aidsnews@aidsnews.org
Editor and Publisher: John S. James Associate Editor: Tadd T. Tobias Reader Services: Tom Fontaine and Denny Smith Operations Manager: Danalan Richard Copeland Statement of Purpose: AIDS Treatment News reports on experimental and standard treatments, especially those available now. We interview physicians, scientists, other health professionals, and persons with AIDS or HIV; we also collect information from meetings and conferences, medical journals, and computer databases. Long-term survivors have usually tried many different treatments, and found combinations which work for them. AIDS Treatment News does not recommend particular therapies, but seeks to increase the options available. Subscription Information: Call 800/TREAT-1-2 Businesses, Institutions, Professionals: $270/year. Includes early delivery of an extra copy by email. Nonprofit organizations: $135/year. Includes early delivery of an extra copy by email. Individuals: $120/year, or $70 for six months. Special discount for persons with financial difficulties: $54/year, or $30 for six months. If you cannot afford a subscription, please write or call. Outside North, Central, or South America, add air mail postage: $20/year, $10 for six months. Back issues available. Fax subscriptions, bulk rates, and multiple subscriptions are available; contact our office for details. Please send U.S. funds: personal check or bank draft, international postal money order, or travelers checks. ISSN # 1052-4207 Copyright 2000 by John S. James. |
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