North Carolina ADAP to limit Fuzeon to 25 people

Because of the high price of the HIV fusion inhibitor Fuzeon, marketed by Roche and Trimeris, the North Carolina AIDS Drug Assistance Program will limit access to the drug to just 25 patients, the Charlotte Observer reports. North Carolina's ADAP has about 2,800 enrollees and an annual budget of $24 million. Because Fuzeon carries a price tag of just under $20,000 for a one-year supply, the program can afford to pay for the medication for only 25 enrollees at a cost of about a half-million dollars. The state's Medicaid program, which also provides health care to many HIV-positive North Carolina residents, announced that it also will cover Fuzeon but has not placed a cap on the number of patients who can qualify for the medication. State ADAP officials say Fuzeon eligibility will be determined on a variety of medical criteria and the order in which program participants sign up for coverage.