Petrelis Files

NOLA: AIDS Patients and Federal Help

Dr. Tom Coburn
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC

Dear Senator Coburn:

Four days after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region, I am extremely concerned about the medical needs of all victims affected by the storm, and have many worries about the needs of people with AIDS down there.

I have the following questions for the leaders of the HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Health Services Resource Administration, which I ask that you pose today, to the federal agency:

1. What is HRSA doing to deliver minimal health related care to people with AIDS dependant on Ryan White CARE Act funded services?

2. How is HRSA meeting the immediate needs; anti-HIV drugs, safe water, meals-ready-to-eat, etc., of patients?

3. Who is in charge of directing HRSA's efforts, in the short and long term, targeting people with AIDS?

Please ask these crucial questions of HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau and explain to them that many AIDS advocates would appreciate written answers by the end of today.

Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis

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From: Murray Penner mpenner@NASTAD.org
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 1:36 PM
Subject: Hurricane Evacuees and ADAP
Importance: High

Good afternoon,

I'm writing first of all to express our deep concern regarding the disaster that everyone in Louisiana and Mississippi is experiencing. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this terrible tragedy. While we feel helpless in many ways, we stand ready to assist any of you in any way possible to help ensure that clients who are displaced by Katrina can access medical care and necessary medications.

States surrounding the directly affected areas are experiencing many evacuees who are presenting for either medical care or medication assistance. HRSA is working to help coordinate an effective response and policy for this, but at this time, has not come out with guidance about how to deal with this issue. They have indicated to us that they cannot wave existing policies or law. NASTAD recommends, after conversations with HRSA, that if your state is able to approve the provision of services or drugs to these clients, you should do so.

Mississippi, for example, is honoring any prescriptions that are presented and if there are no prescriptions available, ID doctors in Jackson will write new prescriptions or determine which prescriptions should be written for clients. Texas will begin enrolling evacuees into their ADAP program today using a simple one-page application to ease the transition. Texas has also been in contact with pharmaceutical companies who stand ready to assist states with provision of free products to replenish those dispensed through such efforts. Thanks to Dwayne Haught in Texas for his initial work on this. NASTAD has also begun working with the companies, requesting that they get in touch with each of you to offer their assistance (particularly the 8 manufacturers of ARVs). BMS, for example, has offered free product to cover prescriptions for clients presenting from neighboring states. Other companies will likely be in touch as well with similar offers. Logistically, each state will need to work out details of these offers, but we believe this is one way to help ADAPs provide these critical medications to these clients. If we can assist you with any connections with these companies, please let us know.

Beth Scalco (LA) and her family are safe and enroute to North Carolina. She will hopefully tomorrow begin to make contact with her program via the North Carolina Health Department. We know that Lousiana distributes their ADAP medications through their university hospital system and HRSA has indicated to us that 4 of the 10 hospitals are inoperable. The other 6 may not have full capacity to retrieve data and they are inundated with residents and evacuees who are needing medical care (not necessarily HIV related). We also understand that CDC is convening a call tomorrow with Louisiana Health Department staff to try to "reconnect" them - some staff are in Baton Rouge and others are scattered throughout the region. As we know more information about Lousiana's plans, we will let you know.

Tom Liberti (FL) is on detail with Craig Thompson in Mississippi, assisting the state using his previous experience with hurricane and disaster recovery. Planning should be for the short term (one month), but also longer term, as it's unknown as to the length of time necessary for this. Tom suggests that states affected should request NOW from various funders extensions of ANY reports due within the next several months.

We will share additional information with you as it becomes available. In the meantime, if there is anything we can do to assist you, please let us know.



Murray C. Penner, Deputy Executive Director of Domestic Programs

National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors

444 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite 339, Washington, DC 20001

Phone: (202) 434-8090 Fax: (202) 434-8092

mpenner@NASTAD.org www.NASTAD.org