TL;DR
- CVS refuses to cover Gilead’s new HIV prevention shot Yeztugo for now.
- Activists blast the move as a “missed opportunity” to curb the epidemic.
- Yeztugo, approved in June, is nearly 100% effective in trials.
- Gilead expects 75% insurer coverage by year-end, 90% by mid-2026.
- Debate over cost, access, and U.S. drug pricing looms large for the LGBTQ community.
CVS Puts the Brakes on a Breakthrough
CVS Health just pumped the brakes on a shot that could have changed the face of HIV prevention. The pharmacy giant announced it won’t yet cover Gilead Sciences’ Yeztugo, a twice-yearly injection that proved nearly 100% effective in stopping HIV infections during clinical trials. The snub comes with CVS citing “clinical, financial, and regulatory” reasons—a corporate cocktail that leaves patients, advocates, and queer communities furious.
Priced at over $28,000 a year, Yeztugo is a wallet-busting miracle, and CVS isn’t ready to foot the bill. For now, the company says its Affordable Care Act plans will stick to older recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which endorse daily PrEP pills and one other injectable. But for millions living at high risk, the delay feels like another roadblock in the decades-long fight to end HIV.
Outrage and Optimism Collide
“The decision is a grave disappointment and frankly a missed opportunity,” snapped Mitchell Warren, head of the AIDS nonprofit AVAC. Activists argue Yeztugo could finally slam the brakes on a virus that has claimed over 42 million lives globally. For queer communities, especially gay and trans people disproportionately affected by HIV, every setback in access means more lives left vulnerable.
Gilead, meanwhile, is playing the long game. The company insists it’s making “progress with payers” and expects three-quarters of U.S. insurers to cover Yeztugo by the end of 2025. By mid-2026, they’re betting on near-universal coverage. Medicaid programs in progressive states like California and New York have already signed on, and government programs like Medicare and the VA are backing the drug. The math is simple: treat HIV for a lifetime at over $1 million, or prevent it for a fraction of the cost.
Why It Matters for LGBTQ Health
For the LGBTQ community, access to cutting-edge HIV prevention isn’t a luxury—it’s survival. Yeztugo could have been the golden ticket to ending new infections in high-risk groups, particularly men who have sex with men, trans women, and communities of color who bear the brunt of the epidemic. By refusing to cover it, CVS sends a chilling message: the bottom line comes before public health.
As the U.S. debates drug pricing and regulatory power—especially under the new HHS leadership—queer activists are bracing for a fight. This isn’t just about one shot. It’s about whether America is willing to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to stopping HIV once and for all.
Because while the science is ready to wipe out a 44-year epidemic, corporate caution and sticker shock may keep the virus alive longer than it should. And the LGBTQ community, as always, will pay the price.