Thirteen states now have waiting lists for HIV medications, with the total number of people who need medications, can't afford them, don't have private insurance, and can't access the medications public and community agencies that provide care to those who have no other options. This list comes from the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors and is current as of May 2011. In addition, other states have begun cost containment strategies by eliminating medications from their drug formulary, lowering the income level for those eligible, creating expenditure caps, and stopping reimbursement for lab work.
Ironically, this comes at a time when the study, HTPN052 was stopped early because of overwhelming evidence showing that starting HIV-positive persons on medication early greatly reduces the rate of transmission. So the consequence of fewer positive people receiving treatment will be more cases of HIV that will need treatment, and longer waiting lists.
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