PrEP price surge threatens HIV prevention in Sweden

The price of PrEP, the HIV-preventive medication, has surged this summer, with costs jumping from roughly 200–300 kronor to 2,070.25 kronor per monthly pack in July, prompting fears that users will stop taking it. The price spike occurred because manufacturers failed to deliver sufficient volumes, forcing pharmacies to use a more expensive reserve supplier. Over 3,000 people in Stockholm regularly use PrEP, and clinics like Venhälsan have received calls from worried patients about the sudden cost increase. The high price is temporary, as August's standard price has returned to 283 kronor. However, doctors warn that interruptions in PrEP use could lead to rising HIV infections, noting that four men who stopped taking the medication were recently diagnosed with HIV.