Federal, Pharmaceutical Barriers to PrEP Access

Barriers to accessing preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) exist at the federal level and within the pharmaceutical space, according to Jeremiah Johnson, executive director of PrEP4All.

Johnson specifically cited medication prices set by pharmaceutical companies and federal policies that limit opportunities for underinsured populations.

Jeremiah Johnson

“The price of their products makes it incredibly difficult to distribute in the community,” Johnson said in a recent video interview with Managed Healthcare Executive. “[Companies] usually point to patient assistance programs as a way of getting around that, but the fact of the matter is that when you're trying to get something that's the price of a car out into the system, the system treats it like something as expensive as a car. It's harder to get coverage, and ultimately, for communities that are marginalized.”

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., cancelled last week's U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) meeting, which oversees guidelines that insurers compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) use to determine what will be covered without cost sharing.