E-drug: AZT price break (cont'd)
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My concern remains that the cost per case prevented remains
excessive. Also the issue around breast feeding has not been resolved.
The cost per case must include the cost of screening all pregnant
women to identify the HIV positive women and the costs of treating all
HIV positive pregnant women who would not have transmitted the virus
to their babies (over 80% in the Thailand study) and the cost of
counselling for all of the HIV positive pregnant mothers and the cost
of formula for the babies born to the HIV positive mothers.
In countries where STD's and Tuberculosis are not adequately treated
the idea of starting a national maternal HIV screening and treatment
program is mind boggling.
For the pregnant woman who already knows she is HIV positive and
who can afford to pay for the drug then AZT treatment may be
reasonable on an individual case by case basis. But as a national AIDS
control program activity I am sure that we can do better with more
cost effective interventions.
Richard Laing
Associate Professor
Department of International Health
Boston University School of Public Health
715 Albany St
Boston MA 02118-2526
Tel 617 414-1444
Fax 617 414-1442 or 638-4476
e-mail: richardl@bu.edu
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