I know and belong to another secret underground.

[Union Yes]

HIV+ gay men who are not on meds due to the cost.

Prescription meds to fight HIV run $1600-$8000 a month. Depending on which harsh regimen an HIV'ers body will tolerate.
HIV prescription meds are harsh, toxic, filled with side-effects to the point that they can alter the look of the human body.

If an HIV+ person has no prescription coverage, its basically a death sentence. Most states are now or already have slashed aids meds funding assistance programs.

I belong to 2 different HIV+ support groups for gay men. Few are on meds. Most aren't.

Our protest- Big Pharma will not use us as their cash cow.
$1600-8000 its a fucking crime to charge poor folks those obscene amounts.

Pay or die.

The numbers of gay men joining this protest is growing daily.

We are for real.

...............................................................

There will never be health care reform in America until we cap prescription drug pricing.

Obama is owned by Big Pharma.

Wake up elected Dems.
Open your fucking eyes.


edit: spelling

[Donnachaidh]

1. Big Pharma is another cartel that needs to be taken down

It's obscene the profits they make off the backs of people with longterm illnesses. Hemophiliacs are another group that are at the mercy of these gangsters. It can cost close to a million dollars a year for a person with severe factor 8 problems to just *live* with regular medications.

[Patiod]

6. At least there is a rationale to the prices for factor 8

The number of processes and the amount of time it takes to manufacture/grow it. As you know, it's not as simple as mixing some chemicals together.

A lot of the new biotech treatments that are emerging are going to be expensive. The markup is crazy, but even at cost, some of the biotech treatments may be unaffordable.

[Tailormyst]

2. I'm sorry you are going through this

And I am sorry we haven't been able to change the situation for you and your friends. It's so incredibly wrong and you all deserve better.

[blm]

3. Contact Heinz Foundation. Teresa has recently set up a program that SPECIFICALLY addresses

your needs.

[Union Yes]

7. Thanks for the advice. I've heard about it and will check out..

the Heinz foundation.

One problem today is Aids charities are being overrun with need.

That said, I sure do appreciate that there are charities willing to help.

I'll look into Heinz. Thanks again.

:fistbump:

[skeptical cynic]

16. Why should healthcare rely on charity?

I'm pleased that such charities exist.

And I'm ashamed that they must exist.

[HillbillyBob]

4. Long term hiv here diag 85 , watched too many go before their time1

I m hearing reports that SC totally is discontinuing ADAP, NC where I live is cutting way back and the patients that are in most need, those losing their jobs and or insurance have no safety net at all.

I am lucky and a pain in the a.. advocated until I got what I needed and sought help when I could not with local HIV/AIDs agency who were a lot of help. I should say more accurately Agencies, here and in SoFla.

When I started getting too sick to work I had not been diagnosed other than as pos and that by an anonymous test. I got hurt at work and isurance dropped me..I spent 2 yrs homeless.

My partner and I moved to the country so we could afford to live on what we now make. We are lucky that we found a place we could afford and have room for visiting family if and when.

I know we are lucky to have come through what we have and hope we can be in position to help others. Right now we are paycheck to not quite paycheck..always too much month left after the money is gone. I know what it is like and hope that some of these so called Christian congresscritters will get off their overfed asses and end the wars, cut DOD funding and help the citizens not corpses.

[Union Yes]

10. Here's wishing you another 25 years (at least) of health! Thanks for sharing your story.

Very sad to see ADAP programs de-funded in so many states nowadays. It's happening all accross the country.

A very close friend of mine has been poz 30 years or so and is just now beginning to 'show' it. He's 68 years old now.

It'd been 2 years since I've seen him and his health has taken a turn for the worse. Last time I saw him he looked fine and healthy. Now, he's lost weight etc. Classic signs of advanced HIV. He's one of the lucky ones who didn't die in under 10 years from date of seroconversion.

I've also seen too many die at a young age from Aids. Those days should be behind us but I fear Aids deaths will increase again due to growing lack of access to affordable meds. Exactly what happens when states cut their ADAPs.

I've been poz since '03.

[Blue Owl]

5. Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Big Military

sure seem to be running the show around here.

:mad:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. I recommend alternative medicine.

Big Pharma free.

[Union Yes]

11. Thanks.

I'm just starting on alternative and herbal therapies. I'm not going down without a fight.

Thanks for the good advice!

:fistbump:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

9. K&R

[Juche]

12. Which meds

Can you switch to importing lower cost alternatives? Places like Brazil and India told pharma to go fuck themselves, and are making meds in violating of patent laws. Do you think you can get generic meds from areas like that?

[Odin2005]

13. K&R

[pinto]

14. Hi Union Yes,

Your state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program is a good place to start. Funding is tight, yet here in CA they've set a policy to "save" ADAP at all costs - even if it means cutting other services. That's bottom line set statewide.

Don't know your overall situation, but I'm on Medicare Part D via Social Security Disability. They've not balked at payment for my meds @ about $1,500 / month.

The Heinz Foundation is a good shot, as well.

Also, the drug companies *do* have some low-income assistance programs. They vary by company, but are worth looking into. Takes some persistence, but I've friends who've made their case and do get some subsidies from them.

If I think of other resources, I'll post here. Good luck and hang in there.

:thumbsup:

:thumbsup:

pinto

[Union Yes]

15. Thanks Pinto!

ADAP here has a waiting list according to neediest(most adv hiv cases first). I'm ok with that because my health is still good but I'm not relying on luck forever.

I'd just recently heard about The Heinz Foundation's new Hiv med charity. I'm looking into getting signed up with them. I'm a little worried that with many charities the need quickly outpaces what's available but, I'm still hopeful and have a ton of respect for the Heinz Foundation.

I've spent a lot of time recently searching through pharma websites and trying to learn about their low cost assistance programs for low income HIV'ers. I admit, I do need to get much more persistant with them. That may be my best option for now. That and Heinz.

Thank you for your caring reply and info. Great advice.

:hug:

:fistbump:

[lonestarnot]

17. Pharma, oil, agriculture, banks. Money trumps death.

[nc4bo]

18. H. pylori meds, JHC!

Friend of mine was just diagnosed with this and saw her doc who prescribed some meds. She showed me and my hubby her Walmart receipt for 2 'scripts was approx. $500.00! Can't imagine what the price would have been at Walgreens, CVS or some other phramacy.

WTF! WTF! WTF! :wtf: How the F is the average Jane (or Joe) supposed to be able to afford to pay for this?!

P.S. K&R and I'm so sorry you're having to witness this nightmare.

[Incitatus]

19. Are there generics on the market yet?

It is my understanding that patents expire after so many years and then other companies can make generics. If these drugs are cheap enough to produce, there should be a non-profit to make these drugs and sell them at cost. They could even take donations to sell them cheaper to those who lack the finances.

[me b zola]

20. .

:hug:

[mmonk]

21. My eyes have been open awhile now.

[reggie the dog]

22. this is horrible, here in France your meds are paid for by the state