AIDS Drug Assistance Programs
AIDS Drug Assistance Programs are a set of programs in all 50-states in the United States that provide Food and Drug Administration-approved HIV treatment drugs to low income patients in the U.S.
The programs are administered by each state with funds distributed by the United States government.
In June 2007 the program provided coverage for 102,000 or 30% of those infected with HIV in the United States. Drug expenditures were $100.1 million in 2007 and $8.8 million in money spent on helping with insurance payments. This represented 344,600 prescriptions.[1]
The total program budget is $1.4 Billion with California receiving $288 Million, New York $241 Million, Texas $101 Million, and Florida $97 Million.[2]
The program first began in 1987 with appropriations to help pay for AZT. The program was expanded in 1990 with the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act (commonly referred to as the Ryan White Care Act.[1] It states that AZT- the reduced profit drugs will be recouped from fact that AIDS medical care will become affordable for the developing countries. It is an aid duration of the disease for the poor nations, and it would not be a problem of the drug companies losing profit in reducing the drugs prices.
Most recipients are below 200% of the Federal Povery Level (FPL) and 43 percent are below 100% the FPL. 63% are black or hispanic and 77% are male.[1]