Today, the Colorado Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) voted on the affordability of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (Trikafta^®), deciding that the drug is not unaffordable for people with cystic fibrosis based on the information it received from patients, caregivers, clinicians, and other stakeholders.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation appreciates the Board’s consideration of personal stories shared by CF clinicians as well as Coloradans with CF who take this transformative treatment and urges other states to do the same when embarking on similar reviews.

Colorado is one of many states establishing prescription drug affordability boards to address rising prescription drug costs and their impact on health care spending. While the Foundation supports efforts to address the sustainability of health care costs, we believe that any solutions to address affordability cannot come at the expense of patients.

“Preserving access to care and treatments for people with CF remains the Foundation’s priority,” said Mary Dwight, chief policy and advocacy officer of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “Understanding the true value of Trikafta requires placing people with CF at the center of the discussion and understanding how access to this modulator therapy has transformed the lives of approximately 90% of the CF population in the United States, often reducing their use of other health care.”

The CF Foundation has maintained ongoing communication with the Board throughout their affordability review to ensure that they understand the transformative benefits of modulators for people with cystic fibrosis. This included relaying and amplifying the voice of people with CF and taking every opportunity to explain Trikafta’s impact on clinical outcomes, other health care utilization, and life expectancy for those can benefit from or tolerate it. 

The Foundation will continue engaging state-level boards in their assessments to help center the patient in the conversation and ensure that solutions to address affordability do not come at the expense of patient access, because in the case of people with CF on modulators like Trikafta, there is no alternative.

To learn more about prescription drug affordability boards and their increasing prevalence, visit cff.org.