# E-DRUG: HIV treatments: Action Points **URL:** \ **Category:** e-drug\ **Created:** [July 7, 1998, 9:59am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-hiv-treatments-action-points/3028 "1998-07-07T09:59:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aids\_Consortium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@Aids\_Consortium](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/Aids_Consortium)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 1998, 9:59am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-hiv-treatments-action-points/3028/1 "1998-07-07T09:59:08Z")
E-drug: HIV treatments: Action Points ------------------------------------- The Access to Treatment Seminar held by the UK NGO AIDS Consortium came up with a list of action points addressing the need for treatment in developing countries. Much of the discussion involved drugs: access to, the costs around, the infrastructure required, for not only of ARVs but also of basic drugs for opportunistic infections and the like. The following actions were mentioned at the seminar as a real need for HIV. Some participants and members of our working group pointed out that much of this work has been done alreadyin relation to other drugs (especially in terms of drug availablity, cost and the pharmaceutical industries) but the information has not been disseminated to those who are primarily interested in the social and development issues around HIV/AIDS. Below are a selection of issues which relate primarily to drugs. We are asking for the expertise of this group for suggestions on who is currently working in these areas and for publications, documents, studies and the like which can be disseminated. For more information on the seminar, our consensus statement, full list of action points or the final report, please go to [http://www.bmaids.demon.co.uk/](http://www.bmaids.demon.co.uk/) ukaidscon/accrpt.htm or contact the UK NGO AIDS Consortium. \*\*\*\*\*begin list\*\*\*\*\*\* \* Monitoring Drug Availability\* A mechanism needs to be developed for monitoring drug availability. This requires further definition of which drugs and which systems. The Consortium Working Group in partnership with the Essential Drugs Project will continue as main contact point for this - please send us information on current systems and areas of concern. Initially, we will work through existing contacts to find out what monitoring systems exist and who is interested in developing this area of work. Contacts will be made with other key agencies including WHO Drug Action Programme Contact Essential Drugs Project edp@gn.apc.org or on fax 44 181 318 1419 \*Increasing access to oral morphine\* 25% of PWAs will have pain which will require oral morphine. Participants endorsed the need for a campaign to demystify medical use of oral morphine and distinguish it from non-medical use and campaign for legalisation. This is included in the Consensus Statement which will be widely distributed through email and through the Geneva Conference. The Consensus Statement can be used as an advocacy tool to start with. It was also felt that there needs to be greater discussion as to the reasons why morphine is such a contentious issue Potential Partnerships for legal drug reform could include: legal/ethical networks International drug users action group International harm reduction network Potential partnership: a) between essential drugs networks and networks working on HIV transmission and recreational drug use - this could advocate for a Resolution at the World Health Assembly b) each region, set up partnership between HIV law and ethics groups set up by UNDP with international drug users action group, and national pharmaceutical networks. The Consortium Working Group will contact UNDP to discuss partnership with the Law and Ethics Regional networks. In addition, participants can help to draw the attention of governments and NGOs working with HIV to the WHO Book on Cancer Pain Relief. This will help to enable learning from other conditions to be transferred to HIV. This will also link into the IAPAC Commitment in Vancouver Contact UK NGO AIDS Consortium ukaidscon@gn.apc.org Fax: 44 171 401 8231 \* Research on national drug policies and the influence of pharmaceutical companies\* New research or dissemination of existing research on national drug policies and the involvement and impact of pharmaceutical companies is needed, to explore the extent to which pharmaceutical companies may influence national drug policies. Links need to be made between those concerned about drug policies and the influence of pharmaceutical companies in relation to HIV and the existing body of work on this in relation to drugs for other conditions. Health Action International has worked extensively on this subject. hai@hai.antenna.nl [http://www.haiweb.org/](http://www.haiweb.org/) Any other suggestions on organisations who have done workin in this area, please contact the UK NGO AIDS Consortium \*Ethics in relation to prescribing through for-profit systems\* More work needs to be done to develop professional ethics where prescribing may be influenced by financial benefit. Contact for follow up on this issue: BMA Foundation for AIDS hilary@bmaids.demon.co.uk \*\*\*\*\*end list\*\*\*\*\*\* UK NGO AIDS Consortium Fenner Brockway House 37-39 Great Guildford Street London SE1 OES, UK Tel: 44 171 401 8231 Fax: 44 171 401 2124 ukaidscon@gn.apc.org -- Send mail for the `E-Drug' conference to `e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'. Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'. For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.