California: New Drugs Added to AIDS Drug Assistance Program



In March 1995, 18 new drugs were added to the California AIDS
Drug Assistance Program; these are in addition to the 25
drugs already there. These drugs can be fully or partially
reimbursed for persons with HIV with moderate incomes.
Funding is from the Federal Ryan White Title II program.

The following drugs are now in the program (the asterisk
indicates the new additions): acyclovir, alpha interferon*,
amphotericin B, atovaquone, azithromycin, bleomycin sulfate*,
clarithromycin, clindamycin, clofazimine, clotrimazole,
cyclophosphamide*, dapsone, ddC, ddI, dexamethasone*,
doxorubicin*, dronabinol*, epoetin alfa*, ethambutol,
filgrastim*, fluconazole, flucytosine, foscarnet,
ganciclovir, itraconazole*, ketoconazole, leucovorin
calcium*, megestrol acetate*, methotrexate*, nystatin,
paromomycin, pentamidine, prednisone*, pyrimethamine,
rifabutin, stavudine*, sulfadiazine, trimethoprim*,
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, trimetrexate glucuronate*,
vinblastine sulfate*, vincristine sulfate*, zidovudine (AZT).
Note: The new oral ganciclovir has also been added to the
formulary.

Comment

New drugs could be added at this time because of reduced
expenditures for AZT, often due to the widespread
discouragement about treatment caused by misinterpretation of
the European Concorde study, which was published in April
1993. That study legitimately raised doubt about certain
early uses of AZT, but was widely misunderstood as meaning
that HIV treatment did not work.