California: ADAP Program Adds Cidofovir, Nevirapine, and Nelfinavir

Three drugs were recently added to the California ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) formulary. ADAP pays for certain medications for persons meeting income requirements. Although largely funded by Title II of the Federal Ryan White CARE Act, the program varies tremendously among different states-- and recently some states have denied drug access because ADAP financing has not kept up with the increasing interest in AIDS/HIV treatment.

Cidofovir (Vistide(R)) and nevirapine (Viramune(R)) were added to the California ADAP formulary on April 24, and nelfinavir (VIRACEPT(R)) was added May 12.

The current California ADAP drug list (generic names, not brand names) is: acyclovir, aerosolized pentamidine, alpha interferon, amphotericin B, atovaquone, azithromycin, bleomycin sulfate, cidofovir, clarithromycin, clindamycin,clofazimine, clotrimazole, cyclophosphamide, dapsone,dexamethasone, didanosine, doxorubicin, dronabinol, epoetinalfa, ethambutol, filgrastim, fluconazole, flucytosine,foscarnet, ganciclovir, indinavir, itraconazole,ketoconazole, lamivudine, leucovorin calcium, megestrolacetate, methotrexate, nelfinavir, nevirapine, nystatin, paromomycin, prednisone, pyrimethamine, rifabutin, ritonavir,saquinavir, stavudine, sulfadiazine, trimethoprim,trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, trimetrexate glucuronate,vinblastine sulfate, vincristine sulfate, zalcitabine, and zidovudine (AZT).