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AIDS Drug Funding CRISIS Draws Attention,
Calls for Local Advocacy

Beginning April 1, 2006, South Carolina’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) began a wait list due to inadequate funding. ADAP provides HIV medications to persons living with HIV, who have inadequate resources to obtain medications on their own. Since April, the wait list has grown from zero to over 439 individuals. South Carolina’s list has more individuals on it than in the rest of the country combined!

ADAP was designed to provide HIV medications to HIV positive people who do not have private health insurance, do not qualify for Medicaid, or are waiting on a Medicaid eligibility determination and cannot afford to purchase the medications themselves. Because of the pricing structure, the SC DHEC Central Pharmacy was funded to purchase HIV medications to maximize the purchasing power.

Unfortunately, the growth in the number of individuals needing and qualifying for this program increased dramatically at the same time federal funding for the program decreased. Approximately $1 million less in federal funding was received in 2005 for care services. This, added to the fact that the State makes a minimal contribution to the program, has resulted in what can only be called a crisis. (See Table 1)

Once the disparity in funding, as compared to other states in the South, came to the attention of State Representative Joseph H. Neal (District 70 - Richland & Sumter Counties), he encouraged the creation of a task force to address the problem and to help communicate the acute crisis. The South Carolina HIV/AIDS Care Crisis Task Force is composed of physicians, persons living with HIV, administrators, pharmacists, pharmaceutical representatives, and researchers working to explain the problem and address the health and economic impact of this situation on the state.

The Task Force determined that an $8 million investment of recurring funds is required to adequately fund the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the shortfall in needed care services. Our elected state representatives and senators need to hear from you about this urgent need, and need encouragement to support the additional funding that would save SC money in the long-term. Currently, the State Ways and Means Committee is considering a one-time $3 million allocation, but that is inadequate to address the shortage that has resulted in 439 SC citizens being on a wait-list for medications.

Visit, call, and write your elected officials and encourage them to put $8 million in Recurring Funds into the 2008 budget. Visit our webpage, www.aidupstate.org, for contact information and fact sheets developed by the SC HIV/AIDS Care Crisis Task Force.