Access to Hepatitis C Treatment Through State AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs)

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) released the 2007 National ADAP Monitoring Project Annual Report on April 10th, 2007.

Access to hepatitis C treatment is crucial for HIV/HCV coinfected people. Although hepatitis C can be treated, HCV-associated end-stage liver disease has become a leading cause of death among HIV-positive people in the US.

Although funding shortfalls and increasing need mean that the majority of ADAPs are currently unable to provide pegylated interferon and ribavirin, some are still covering HCV treatment and/or adjunctive therapies used to manage side effects (see table of State ADAP Coverage below). Some State ADAPs offer hepatitis A (HAV) and hepatitis B (HBV) vaccines, which are recommended for people with HIV and hepatitis C who are susceptible to these viruses.

If your State ADAP does not cover hepatitis C treatment, you may be able to obtain it through patient assistance programs sponsored by Roche and Schering.

• Roche Patient Assistance Foundation: 1-877-75ROCHE (877-757-6243)

• Schering Commitment to Care (1-800-521-7157)

• Direct link to Schering's Commitment to Care Application (accessed May 21 2007): www.schering-plough.com/pdf/commitapp.pdf

* May include anti-anxiety agents, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers, and other psychiatric medications.

** With certain exclusions.

Sources:

1. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD). National ADAP Monitoring Project, Annual Report, April 2007. ADAP Formularies. Available on-line at: www.kff.org/hivaids/7619.cfm (accessed on May 9th, 2007).

2. NASTAD. ADAP Watch. April 2007. Available on-line at: www.nastad.org/Publications/adapwatch.aspx (accessed on May 9th, 2007).

Thanks to Britten Ginsburg, Murray Penner, Beth Crutsinger-Perry and Chris Taylor at NASTAD.

Tracy Swan is TAG's Coinfection Project Director.