New hope at an unprecedented price. (Drugs).Hope and frustration marked the Food and Drug Administration's March 13 approval of Fuzeon--the first-ever drug to block HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. from entering human cells. Clinical trials show that the medication can lower blood-based viral loads viral load n. The concentration of a virus, such as HIV, in the blood. viral load, n a measure of the number of virus particles present in the bloodstream, expressed as copies per milliliter. , even for people resistant to protease inhibitors Protease Inhibitors Definition A protease inhibitor is a type of drug that cripples the enzyme protease. An enzyme is a substance that triggers chemical reactions in the body. . But with Fuzeon's yearly price tag of just under $20,000--which more than doubles the cost of multidrug therapy--it's not clear who will have access to the drug. Although private insurers likely will cover Fuzeon Fu·ze·on A trademark for the drug enfuvirtide. enfuvirtide Fuzeon Pharmacologic class: Human immunodeficiency-1 (HIV-1) fusion inhibitor Therapeutic class: Antiretroviral , the price could push people over their policy spending caps. AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, experts said, might not be able to offer the drug at all. |
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