Georgia Will Fund Trikafta for Every Eligible Patient

Georgia's Ministry of Health has announced that it will procure Trikafta from manufacturer Vertex Pharmaceuticals for people living with cystic fibrosis. The medicine will be added to Georgia’s state programme, with the full cost covered by the state, for patients aged two and over whose genetic mutations meet the approved indications. 

Congratulations to the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Georgia, Georgian clinicians, patients, families and everyone who campaigned for access to CFTR modulators for so long. This victory belongs first and foremost to them. The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Georgia called it a historically important day for their patients.

“This is not simply about purchasing one medicine. It is about restoring hope to families, reducing fear for parents, and creating the possibility of a new life for our patients. Today we can say that we have taken another major step towards a future in which cystic fibrosis should no longer mean lives lost prematurely."

Announcing the decision, Health Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze said the introduction of Trikafta:

"will be a transformative stage for many children and many families, towards an entirely new and healthier life,"

and thanked the Government of Georgia and the Prime Minister for backing the decision.

Five months ago, we travelled to Tbilisi to stand alongside patients, families, clinicians and advocates calling for access to CFTR modulators at the South Eastern European CF Conference. Gayle Pledger, CF mum and campaign lead, joined Stephan Kruip, a CF patient and former Director of Mukoviszidose e.V. (Germany’s national CF association), and Ajsela Kushova, a CF mum from Albania who was forced to move to Italy with her son Flori so he could access the treatment he needed, to add our voices to the calls for change.

Vertex also sent a representative to the conference. When asked on camera if he would answer a few questions for the German CF community, he declined to answer.

The price is still the problem

Georgia should never have had to wait this long. Vertex’s monopoly and pricing have put CFTR modulators beyond the reach of patients and health systems in much of the world. In the US, Trikafta costs around $370,000 per patient, per year, despite manufacturing costs being a fraction of that.

We are delighted that people with CF in Georgia will finally get access. But confidential deals with a monopoly manufacturer are not a sustainable solution for everyone else. Affordable generic CFTR modulators are already available at around 95% less than Vertex’s price, and governments have tools such as compulsory licensing to overcome patent barriers when public health demands it.

Our demand has not changed. Vertex should drop its prices - or drop its patents.

The Essential Medicines List

The Georgian Ministry of Health also highlights Trikafta’s inclusion on the WHO Essential Medicines List, granted in September 2025 following a 98-page application supported by 35 CF associations and more than 50 human rights organisations. We argued at the time that essential medicine status would give governments a concrete tool to challenge excessive prices and make the case for public funding. Georgia’s health ministry has now done precisely that.

Who is still waiting

As stated by Georgia’s Health Minister, the country will be among the relatively small number of countries where Trikafta is included in the state programme - seven years after it was first licensed. Yet around one third of CF patients worldwide who could benefit still cannot access it. Families in Albania, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Ecuador and many other countries are still waiting.

Today belongs to the people who fought for this victory - and we will keep campaigning until every patient, everywhere, can access the treatment they need at a price their health system can sustain.