Fw: [HIVMMW] Request for sign ons: Open Letter to PharmaceuticalCompanies on the ADAP Crisis

[Guest guest]

Please help distribute far and wide, sign-ons are urgently needed:

Dear Friends,

AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) across the country are struggling to keep their doors open. Over 750 people in ten states are currently on ADAP waiting lists to access HIV/AIDS drugs, and more states are joining the ranks. This situation will not improve anytime soon - certainly not till the new Healthcare Reform Legislation is fully implemented - unless we act now!

ADAPs are at the center of a perfect storm, brought on by the economic meltdown, federal and state budget shortfalls, and continuing escalation of drug prices. The number of people who rely on ADAPs for their medications grew an unprecedented 80% each month in FY2009.

Join the Fair Pricing Coalition in calling on all HIV drug companies to do their part to help solve this crisis by:

1. Implementing a multi-year cost protection and rebate enhancement program for ADAPs to reduce their drug costs and allow them to reopen enrollments.

2. Offering streamlined Patient Assistance Program (PAP) eligibility for individuals on any state's ADAP waiting list.

We are seeking organizational and individual endorsements of an open letter to the drug companies in anticipation of upcoming negotiations with ADAPs in May. To sign-on and read the full letter, please go to:

http://www.hivresearchcatalystforum.org/action <http://www.hivresearchcatalystforum.org/action>

Thanks,

The Fair Pricing Coalition

Note: There is a separate ADAP emergency funding sign-on that is still open for signatures (contact rclary@projectinform to sign on to the emergency funding letter).

The Fair Pricing Coalition is an ad hoc group of community-based activists who work on drug pricing issues with pharmaceutical companies in the field of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The FCP focuses on the impact of drug pricing on patients, public and private payers, and providers. The core group meets with and coordinates discussions over pricing with individual pharmaceutical companies. A much larger group of AIDS and hepatitis organizations and concerned individuals participate in the FPC through consensus statements and petitions.