E-DRUG: BMS reduces private sector prices for d4T/ddI in South Africa
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[E-drug reported about TAC action towards BMS on 8 May. A few days later,
BMS announced that they would indeed make their public sector prices
available for the private sector as well. Well done, BMS (and TAC!).
D4T+DDI at USD 1/day, combined with an NNRTI, for example, nevirapine,
would now cost around USD 990 per person per year (drug costs alone).
D4T+DDI combined with a Protease inhibitor, for example indinavir, would
cost around USD 1040 per person per year.
This should, however, be compared to a generic cocktail of USD 350,
compulsory license permitting.
Up to now, 3 out of 6 drug companies marketing ARVs in SA have reduced their
prices in the private sector: MSD, Boehringer Ingelheim and BMS.
Number 4, Abbott, announced a price reduction on 27 March, but only for
"qualified entities" in Africa. Abbott's press release stated:
"Qualified entities include government and non-governmental organizations,
United Nations system organizations, and other national and international
health institutions."
It seems, however, unfair to exclude the national "Aid for AIDS" programme
(which is covering 10,000 patients on ARVs on a non-profit basis) from
these lower prices.
When will Abbott follow the good example of BMS, MSD and Boehringer Ingelheim?
O yes, and what about GlaxoSmithKline and Roche (nrs 5 and 6) !?
They should follow suit, if they want to keep selling their now rather expensive
ARVs in SA's private sector. Watch this space!
Crossposted from DRUGINFO with thanks. Copied as fair use. NN]
Hi, everyone
Here is a weekend report (copied as fair use) on the BMS offer that
will now include the private sector.
Regards, Fatima
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R8-a-day AIDS treatment offered
by Bobby Jordan
Sunday Times, 13 May 2001
ONE of the world's largest drug companies is offering to sell two
anti-AIDS drugs to any South African for $1 (about R8) a day.
Bristol-Myers Squibb's Southern Africa general manager, Ian Strachan,
said the company's two antiretroviral drugs, Zerit and Videx - would
be made available at the combined price of $1 a day to both the
private and public healthcare sectors, starting from Thursday.
He said the company was so convinced that nobody could beat its price
for Zerit and Videx that it would grant a voluntary licence to any
competitor able to do so.
A voluntary licence would entitle a competitor to bypass normal drug
patent protection and produce Bristol-Myers Squibb's own anti-AIDS
drugs.
Zerit and Videx, also known as D4T and DDI, are two of the most
commonly used antiretroviral drugs.
The "dollar-a-day" price tag is just 15% of the US price.
The offer follows a protest staged in Cape Town this week against
Bristol-Myers by AIDS activists who claimed the company had not
delivered on an earlier promise to reduce the price of its anti-AIDS
drugs.
"The actual reduction of our prices across the board will be
implemented around Thursday next week," said Strachan.
He added that the company was talking to major employer groups, drug
distributors and funders to ensure that savings on the drugs would be
passed on to patients.
Local companies are seeking ways to get cheap anti-AIDS drugs for
their workers. Last week Anglo American said it planned to provide
free or subsidised drugs to its staff.
Strachan said: "It's the first definitive offer. We have drugs on the
market - tried, tested, and registered - that will be made available
at $1 a day.'
AIDS activist and medical doctor Costa Gazi welcomed the move, but
said the real challenge was to get anti-AIDS drugs into the public
health sector.
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Fatima Suleman
Information Manager
Healthlink Programme - Health Systems Trust
PO Box 808
Durban, 4001
Tel: 27 31 307 2954 Fax: 27 31 304 0775
Email: fatima@healthlink.org.za
http://www.hst.org.za
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