E-drug: generic anti retrovirals (cont)
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Leo Offerhaus has pointed out that zidovudine is very difficult to
manufacture and even when it comes off patent it will remain expensive.
What about the other anti-retrovirals particularly the nucleosides. If
niverapine can be provided for $3 per mother child unit to prevent vertical
transmission, what does it cost to produce. This has major implications for
discussions of compulsory licensing under the public health emergency
clause of the WTO agreement.
Could we have some expert advice on what the real costs of production of
these drugs are and how easy it would be for companies in developing
countries to produce these items?
Richard Laing
Associate Professor of International Health
Boston University School of Public Health
715 Albany St, T4W, Boston MA 02118 USA
Tel 617 414-1444 Fax 617 638-4476
E-mail richardl@bu.edu
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