Teresa Heinz 's Foundation will help people on waiting lists for aid with buying AIDS drugs

Heinz Family Philanthropies, Welvista and Abbott today announced a solution that begins to address the needs of patients waiting for access to HIV medications. These patients are on waiting lists in 10 states for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which provides help and no-cost medication for those patients who cannot afford their medication, but do not qualify for Medicaid assistance.

In addition to the collaboration with Heinz Family Philanthropies, Abbott is providing a grant to Welvista, a nonprofit organization that fills prescriptions for patients who are uninsured and underinsured. This grant will help provide for a one-year program to help any patient on a state ADAP waiting list who needs an Abbott HIV medication. Abbott, the global health care company, makes protease inhibitors that are important components of many HIV combination treatment regimens.

The program eliminates all enrollment forms for these patients. Enrollment is virtually automatic for anyone certified on an ADAP waiting list and can provide direct access to no-cost Abbott HIV medications through Welvista. Patients who are on ADAP waiting lists and need to access this solution to receive their Abbott medications can request their state ADAP contact Welvista. If need exists after one year, the program may be extended.

The solution was developed by the three organizations in response to a call for help from NASTAD (the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors) to find ways to clear the waiting lists and make enrollment simple for patients. The ADAP waiting lists have increased exponentially in some areas due to state budget crises.