E-DRUG: Clinton ARV and diagnostics deal expanded
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[E-drug earlier reported about the Clinton deal, which would make FDC ARVs
available for USD 140 / person / year. The offer was then limited to 4
countries, where Clinton Foundation was working (see
http://www.clintonpresidentialcenter.com/foundation_programs.html). The
Clinton price of USD 140/year is now available to all developing countries.
Important is also that the press release is issued with Global Fund, UNICEF
and World Bank. This at least provides some strong financial backing for
this very needed initiative, which was missing previously. Well done, Bill!
Will George now follow?? WB]
Global Fund, World Bank and UNICEF join with the Clinton Foundation to
extend deep price reductions under Clinton-brokered agreements
Geneva, New York, Washington -- The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria, the World Bank, UNICEF and the Clinton Foundation today
announced agreements that will make it possible for developing countries to
purchase high-quality AIDS medicines and diagnostics at the lowest available
prices, in many cases for more than fifty percent less than is currently
available.
Today�s agreements will pave the way for countries supported by the Global
Fund, the World Bank and UNICEF to gain access to drug and diagnostic prices
negotiated by the Clinton Foundation. As provided for under the Clinton
Foundation agreements with its suppliers, beneficiaries of Global Fund and
World Bank grants who are interested in accessing these agreements should
contact the Clinton Foundation to initiate the process. Countries will be
required to provide guarantees of payment, to conduct long term tenders and
to ensure the security of drug distribution. The Global Fund, World Bank and
UNICEF will support their funding recipients in complying with these terms,
as consistent with their policies and existing practices.
The Global Fund and the World Bank are among the world�s largest sources of
funding commitments to AIDS treatment. The Global Fund focuses more than 60
percent of the $2.1 billion committed for two years to 122 countries to the
fight against AIDS. The World Bank has currently committed $1.6 billion to
fight AIDS through the Multi-country HIV/AIDS Programs (MAP) and other AIDS
operations, including grants for the poorest countries. UNICEF spent $111
million during 2003 in the fight against AIDS and is rapidly accelerating
the procurement of antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) and AIDS diagnostic
equipment and tests for developing countries.
The prices have been negotiated by the Clinton Foundation with five
manufacturers of ARVs and five manufacturers of HIV/AIDS diagnostic tests.
These prices were announced originally in October 2003 and January 2004, and
to date they have been available to the 16 countries in the Caribbean and
Africa where the Clinton Foundation�s HIV/AIDS Initiative is active.
The drugs in these agreements include individual formulations and two- and
three-drug fixed dose combinations which have been pre-qualified by the
World Health Organization to assure quality and efficacy.
These medicines are critical components of the four regimens recommended by
the World Health Organization as �first line� treatment for AIDS in its 3x5
initiative. In developing countries outside of Brazil, such life-sustaining
therapy is available to fewer than 200,000 people living with the virus,
though almost six million require it. Recent commitments of financial
support for treatment, along with these lower prices for drugs and tests,
can expand this coverage significantly.
The pharmaceutical manufacturers included in these agreements are Aspen
Pharmacare Holdings in South Africa; Cipla in India; Hetero Drugs Limited in
India, Ranbaxy Laboratories in India; and Matrix Laboratories in India. The
price for the most common first line formulation under these agreements is
as low as $140 per person per year, one-third to one-half of the lowest
price otherwise available in most settings.
The diagnostic tests included in these agreements are offered by five
leading medical technology companies and include CD4 tests from Beckman
Coulter, Inc. and BD (Becton Dickinson and Company) and viral load tests
from Bayer Diagnostics, bioM�rieux and Roche Diagnostics. The prices
available for these tests under the agreement include machines, training,
reagents and maintenance and are up to 80% cheaper than otherwise available
in the market.
Speaking about these agreements, former U.S. President William J. Clinton
said, �I am grateful for this collective effort, which will soon help many
hundreds of thousands of people, and eventually millions of people, live
longer, healthier lives. With these agreements, we are one step closer to
making sure future generations can live without the scourge of AIDS. We are
hopeful that developing countries and those who support them in the fight
against AIDS will take full advantage of this agreement and act quickly to
do all they can to help in this fight."
Richard Feachem, Executive Director of the Global Fund, affirmed that,
�Access to HIV treatment for all who need it is a moral imperative and now
the target of growing financial commitments. Today�s agreements build on
sound science, agreed policy and market economics to maximize the reach of
those commitments. As a result, hundreds of thousands of additional people
will receive the drugs they need to stay alive and remain healthy.�
According to the agreements announced today, the governments and NGOs
supported by Global Fund, World Bank and UNICEF policies will be able to use
the resources of these organizations to procure drugs and tests available
under the Clinton Foundation arrangements. These agreements are consistent
with existing policies of all three international organizations.
World Bank President James Wolfensohn said of today�s announcement, �We
regard AIDS as being the single most important issue at the moment in Africa
because of the devastating effect that it has had throughout the Continent,
and it is not something that is deferrable to discussions of economic or
other issues. The emerging epidemic in Asia, Europe and Central Asia and the
Caribbean is also a tremendous concern. This initiative will help to get
treatment to those most in need - the world's poorest people. The World Bank
is pleased to be a partner in the program and fully supports it.�
The Executive Director of UNICEF, Carol Bellamy, added, �This new
partnership works to break down some of the barriers - - such as price,
supply and demand - - that are impeding access to life-saving AIDS medicines
and diagnostics in developing countries. UNICEF is very proud to be part of
this creative initiative that promises to save lives and bring hope to
millions of children and families around the world.�
The Clinton Foundation, Global Fund, World Bank and UNICEF are committed to
exploring additional forms of cooperation to expand treatment access.
The Global Fund is a unique and independent global public-private
partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to
prevent and treat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. This partnership between
governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities
represents a new approach to international health financing. The Global Fund
works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral
organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three
diseases.
In 2003 the World Bank provided $18.5 billion and worked in more than 100
developing countries, bringing finance and/or technical expertise toward
helping them reduce poverty. In addition to financial assistance, the Bank
is also a major provider of implementation support for HIV/AIDS programs
through direct provision of expertise (especially fiduciary), dissemination
of good practice and lessons learned, and sponsorship of country-to-country
learning. The World Bank is also working with all major stakeholders in
scaling up antiretroviral therapy and its recently issued technical guide,
�HIV/AIDS Medicines and Related Supplies: Contemporary Context and
Procurement� sets out principles and advice to countries and has generated
many messages of support and appreciation from UN agencies, donors,
policymakers, and NGOs. For more on the Bank�s work in the area of HIV/AIDS,
visit: www.worldbank.org/aids
UNICEF works in 158 countries to ensure that all children survive and thrive
through adolescence. UNICEF�s efforts on the ground emphasize immunization
and micronutrients; the best start in life, including safe water and
sanitation, basic health and nutrition, and loving interaction; education
for all children; fighting HIV/AIDS and caring for children orphaned by the
disease; and a protective environment that shields children from abuse,
exploitation and violence. UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary
contributions from governments, foundations, businesses and individuals.
The Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative has been at work for more than a
year helping individual governments in Africa and the Caribbean to develop
scalable AIDS care, treatment and prevention strategies. In the Caribbean,
the Foundation is working with nine countries and three territories which
together have over 90% of people living with AIDS in the Caribbean. In
Africa, the Foundation is working with Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa and
Tanzania which together have about 33% of all people living with AIDS in
Africa. The Foundation is also working to change the economics of HIV/AIDS
care and treatment. The first agreements it has brokered have dramatically
reduced the prices of ARVs and AIDS diagnostics.
For additional information, please contact:
Jim Palmer for the Global Fund (+1 202 262 9823)
Stevan Jackson for the World Bank (+1 202 458 5054; + 202 437-6295)
Liza Barrie for UNICEF (+1 212 326 7593; +1 646 207 5178)
Joe Cashion for the Clinton Foundation (+1 917 822 0407; +1 212 348 0276; +1
617 774 0110)
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