Did the Trump administration secure a large donation of HIV-prevention drugs for uninsured Americans?
In May 2019, the Health and Human Services Department said that Gilead Sciences Inc. would provide a costly anti-HIV drug for up to 200,000 high-risk, uninsured individuals over the next 11 years. The step is part of the administration's initiative to eradicate HIV in the U.S.
The drug, known as Truvada for PrEP, is priced at more than $20,000 annually—a price which prevents many Americans from accessing it—though it's relatively inexpensive to produce. A generic Truvada is sold in Africa for about $60/year, but Gilead retains a monopoly in the U.S. (PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis; the drug is taken to block the virus.)
In November 2019, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against Gilead for patent violations, alleging the company made billions from Truvada without paying royalties due to the Centers for Disease Control.
