ViiV Joins Welvista Program for People on ADAP Waiting Lists

ViiV Healthcare -- the HIV specialty company formed by GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer -- announced this week that it will now participate in the Welvista program, a collaborative initiative to provide antiretroviral medications to low-income people on AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) waiting lists, which are growing in several states in the wake of the ongoing financial crisis.

Below is an excerpt from a community announcement from Marc Meachem, ViiV's Director of External Affairs for North America, describing the new patient assistance option.

ViiV Healthcare Launches New Patient Assistance Program and Participation in Welvista Program for ADAP Waitlist Patients

ViiV Healthcare is committed to putting patients at the center of everything we do. We have met with many community leaders across the country and the key theme consistently identified was the need to help patients access medications. We have listened and we have responded. In 2010, we extended our patient savings card program and worked with the National State and Territorial AIDS Directors and the ADAP Crisis Task Force to address the unprecedented need for access to antiretroviral medicines through AIDS Drug Assistance Programs.

It gives me great pleasure to announce the implementation of ViiV Healthcare's newest access initiatives, effective January 1, 2011.

ViiV Healthcare Patient Assistance Program

The new program aims to do more to help increase access for patients who cannot afford their medication or those who were previously on medication who have now lost access due to increasing ADAP income thresholds.

Patients are eligible to receive medications produced by ViiV Healthcare up to one year and people who use Medicare Part D are eligible to receive medications for the remainder of the calendar year, once enrolled in the program.

Patients and patient advocates can visit (www.viivhealthcareforyou.com) which provides details about the program including products available, eligibility, and enrollment information.

Eligibility for ViiV Healthcare's new Patient Assistant Program includes:

• Patients without private or government supported prescription coverage and who's household income level is no greater than 500% of the Federal Poverty limit.
• Patients on ADAP waitlists who meet the Federal Poverty Limit.
• People who use Medicare Part D who have spent $600 or more in out-of-pocket and meet the Federal Poverty Limit.

For more information about our Patient Assistance Program, please visit: www.viivhealthcareforyou.com.

M Meachem. ViiV Healthcare Launches New Patient Assistance Program and Participation in Welvista Program for ADAP Waitlist Patients. Community announcement. January 3, 2010.