The man has been running an operation inspired by the ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ since last year
A registered nurse has revealed himself to be the anonymous man behind a website that helps gay and bisexual mean get generic anti-HIV medication from the US.
Before he set up the Davie Buyers Club website last year, Alex Smith was working at a Vancouver-based HIV/STI testing clinic for men who have sex with men (MSM), reported news outlet Vice. During that time, he would discuss the risks of HIV with patients; many of them pleaded with him for access to a type of drug known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
PrEP is a once-a-day pill proven to prevent the transmission of HIV by up to 99% with adherence. The problem for Canadian patients is that the original brand Truvada can cost $1,000 a month. Imported generics could cost as little as $45 monthly, but while several already have approval from Health Canada, importing generic PrEP or any other medication into the country by mail or courier is prohibited.
“[Because of] the lack of a public program or the right insurance policy I was sort of powerless to help them,” Smith told Vice. But after one patient got diagnosed with HIV a few months after talking with him about the drug, he started thinking about what he could do.
Remembering a presentation about how someone could import generics for a fraction of the original drug’s cost, Smith started looking into the safety and efficacy of such drugs. He eventually figured out that it’s possible to import generic FDA-approved PrEP from foreign pharmacies in Asia through the US, and that it’s legal for someone to cross the US border in person with a 90-day supply as long as they had a valid prescription.
After having some friends do trial runs, Smith determined that the process was troublesome, but effective. However, he decided that he couldn’t share this information with his patients personally. Instead, he anonymously set up Davie Buyers Club, and hoped his high-risk patients would discover it. He keeps the website information updated, answers questions, and occasionally tracks shipments for people experiencing issues with their order.
Smith’s site has helped around 200 people, many from Metro Vancouver, gain access to generic PrEP. Half a dozen former patients have reached out to him with questions and seeking assistance. Several major MSM organizations have promoted Davie Buyers Club, including the Health Initiative for Men (HIM) in Vancouver. Smith has also worked with the Gay Man’s Sexual Health Alliance (GMSH) in Toronto.
As a registered nurse, Smith initially had misgivings about going public with his role in running the Davie Buyers Club; the regulator that oversees his profession might think the information on his site is a professional recommendation that Canadians cross the US border to get drugs purchased online from Asian countries.
But he’s no longer worried about that, especially given the support his movement has received. “Just the sheer number of people that have been helped by it, I don't think that they could say that it was a negative or unprofessional thing to do,” he said.
Related stories:
Mylan launches three generic anti-HIV medicines for Canadian market
Life insurance for those with HIV; increased focus on diabetes shows industry is evolving: Sun Life
Before he set up the Davie Buyers Club website last year, Alex Smith was working at a Vancouver-based HIV/STI testing clinic for men who have sex with men (MSM), reported news outlet Vice. During that time, he would discuss the risks of HIV with patients; many of them pleaded with him for access to a type of drug known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
PrEP is a once-a-day pill proven to prevent the transmission of HIV by up to 99% with adherence. The problem for Canadian patients is that the original brand Truvada can cost $1,000 a month. Imported generics could cost as little as $45 monthly, but while several already have approval from Health Canada, importing generic PrEP or any other medication into the country by mail or courier is prohibited.
“[Because of] the lack of a public program or the right insurance policy I was sort of powerless to help them,” Smith told Vice. But after one patient got diagnosed with HIV a few months after talking with him about the drug, he started thinking about what he could do.
Remembering a presentation about how someone could import generics for a fraction of the original drug’s cost, Smith started looking into the safety and efficacy of such drugs. He eventually figured out that it’s possible to import generic FDA-approved PrEP from foreign pharmacies in Asia through the US, and that it’s legal for someone to cross the US border in person with a 90-day supply as long as they had a valid prescription.
After having some friends do trial runs, Smith determined that the process was troublesome, but effective. However, he decided that he couldn’t share this information with his patients personally. Instead, he anonymously set up Davie Buyers Club, and hoped his high-risk patients would discover it. He keeps the website information updated, answers questions, and occasionally tracks shipments for people experiencing issues with their order.
Smith’s site has helped around 200 people, many from Metro Vancouver, gain access to generic PrEP. Half a dozen former patients have reached out to him with questions and seeking assistance. Several major MSM organizations have promoted Davie Buyers Club, including the Health Initiative for Men (HIM) in Vancouver. Smith has also worked with the Gay Man’s Sexual Health Alliance (GMSH) in Toronto.
As a registered nurse, Smith initially had misgivings about going public with his role in running the Davie Buyers Club; the regulator that oversees his profession might think the information on his site is a professional recommendation that Canadians cross the US border to get drugs purchased online from Asian countries.
But he’s no longer worried about that, especially given the support his movement has received. “Just the sheer number of people that have been helped by it, I don't think that they could say that it was a negative or unprofessional thing to do,” he said.
Related stories:
Mylan launches three generic anti-HIV medicines for Canadian market
Life insurance for those with HIV; increased focus on diabetes shows industry is evolving: Sun Life
