Drug Pricing

Affordability reviews of HIV medications are unlikely to fully capture the complexity and interdependence of safety net programs, which not only ensure affordability for patients but also sustain the broader HIV care infrastructure. While we recognize the Board’s current position to not seek upper payment limit authority, reviewing medications like Biktarvy, Descovy, and Emtricitabine-Tenofovir based on list price alone (despite their actual affordability for the vast majority of patients) could have significant unintended consequences. Such reviews risk creating systemic uncertainty for manufacturers, healthcare providers, and safety net programs that rely heavily on drug rebates to fund essential wraparound services. Ultimately, this instability could undermine the delicate balance required for continued investment in the transformative advancements our community relies on, including longer-acting treatments, preventive therapies, vaccines, and the pursuit of an eventual cure.