Gilead Announces Updates to The Advancing ACCESS® Patient Assistance/Medication Assistance Program

Foster City, Calif., April 8, 2021 –Since the program’s introduction in 2004, Gilead has provided our HIV treatment and prevention medicines and our medicines for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) free of charge to eligible uninsured individuals in the United States through the Advancing Access^® Patient Assistance/Medication Assistance Program (PAP/MAP).

The administration of the program has been guided by the core principle of facilitating rapid access to and initiation of treatment and prevention medicines with minimal logistical and administrative burdens, recognizing the significant social and systemic hurdles that often impede access to medication for people living with or at risk for HIV, and those living with HBV. Our unwavering commitment to this mission has helped shape Advancing Access into the unique, industry-leading program it is today. To date, the program has provided free drug to more than 250,000 individuals.

To help ensure that the program can continue to meet the needs of participants and deliver on its mission to provide free medicine in the future, we are making the following enhancements and changes: 

Offering Multiple Delivery Options: Throughout the shelter-in-place orders implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, we received requests from program participants and their healthcare providers for the option of direct delivery (“mail order”) of their free Gilead medicine to the address of their choice. Feedback from providers and community advocates reinforced the importance of also maintaining the program’s unique retail fulfillment model. We are pleased to announce that we now offer both direct delivery (via an overnight shipping service) and retail pharmacy pickup as options to all program participants.

Updates to the Retail Pharmacy Model: To support the long-term sustainability of PAP/MAP and our ability to meet the needs of eligible program participants for years to come, beginning October 1, 2021, dispensing pharmacies will be reimbursed for the amount paid for each bottle plus a dispensing fee and an administrative fee. This new model ensures dispensing free medicine to eligible PAP/MAP participants will continue to result in no cost to the pharmacy and compensates pharmacies for dispensing the free Gilead medication.

Any change to our access program has an impact on the organizations that participate, and we are notifying our partners in advance to provide an appropriate timeframe for planning and transition.

Gilead’s PAP/MAP is an important part of our overall mission to help end the HIV epidemic and is one of many programs the company supports to address barriers to HIV care. The updates to Gilead’s PAP/MAP will help strengthen the program model so we can help eligible people living with and at risk for HIV access their free Gilead medication for years to come, while also continuing to drive innovation that expands options for HIV treatment and prevention.

If you are a healthcare professional or are currently a participant in the Advancing Access PAP/MAP, there are no changes to your access to free medication through the program. If you have questions regarding your medication or the program, please visit GileadAdvancingAccess.com or call 1-800-226-2056.

If you are a dispensing pharmacy, we will be sharing additional information in the coming days. In order to receive the pharmacy contract or for any questions, please contact the program via email at AdvancingAccess@Gilead.com or AssistRx directly via email at GileadSupportProgram@assistrx.com.

For other questions or concerns, please email us at advancingaccess@gilead.com.