The HIV Medicine Association and 152 other organizations are insisting that Turing Pharmaceuticals reverse recent price increases put in place for Daraprim.
“The unjustifiable actions taken to leverage the value of an effective 70-year old medication are jeopardizing the health of individuals with a serious, life-threatening condition,” the HIVMA and others said in an Oct. 22, 2015, letter to Turing. “These individuals do not have the luxury of time to wait for promised new treatments – which also will likely be priced out of reach.”
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The letter noted several physician anecdotes of courses of therapy that need to be changed as a direct result of the price change.
In August, Turing increased the price of the drug, used to treat toxoplasmosis, by more than5,000% from $13.50 per pill to $750 per pill after it acquired the exclusive rights to Daraprim from Impax Laboratories. Turing also limited the drug’s distribution.
In a letter to the company, HIVMA and others are calling on Turing to lower the price; provide price parity for inpatient and outpatient settings; offer financial support for patients with income levels at 500% of the federal poverty level, as well as transparency for patient assistance and copay assistance programs; cover the maximum out-of-pocket costs on coinsurance and copayments allowable under the Affordable Care Act; and ensure same day and direct access to the drug.
Turing announced on Sept. 24, 2015, that in response to the backlash over the price increase, it would lower the price, but it has not yet done so. On Oct. 13, 2015, the company revealed details on how it is making the product affordable to patients.