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KHN correspondent Shefali Luthra joined a discussion on the Vox podcast “Today, Explained” about the cost dynamics surrounding pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a game-changing drug that prevents the transmission of HIV.
Gilead Sciences — the manufacturer of the brand-name versions of this preventive medicine, such as Truvada and Descovy — seeks to extend its patent but faces pushback from federal lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
Luthra has reported on how public health officials whose efforts to increase access to the HIV prevention pill for those at risk have faced roadblocks: the drug’s price tag, which has surged in recent years, and changes in insurance coverage that put a heftier financial burden on patients.