Gilead’s new HIV prevention drug may be too expensive

A study published Monday and reported on by STAT’s Ed Silverman found that Gilead’s new HIV prevention drug, Descovy, could not be considered cost-effective unless its price was slashed nearly in half.   Gilead is releasing Descovy just as its other HIV prevention drug, Truvada, is about to lose patent protection this year. Descovy does seem to be slightly safer in some respects — but right now, it also seems to be far, far more expensive than the generic versions of Truvada will be. 

In response, Gilead said the study’s methodology’s conclusions were “inaccurate” ones that “severely underestimate the value” of the newer medicine.

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