E-DRUG: Malaysian AIDS Council requests government use license for Kaletra
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On November 10, 2011, public health groups in a dozen countries launched a global campaign to challenge Abbott Laboratories' monopolistic hold on lopinavir+ritonavir (marketed as Kaletra and Aluvia), a critical HIV/AIDS medicine. In Malaysia, the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) sent a letter to Abbott Laboratories requesting an open license for the use of patents related to lopinavir + ritonavir and ritonavir. Unfortunately, Abbott ignored their request, and people living with HIV in Malaysia who rely on lopinavir + ritonavir for survival are still charged exorbitant prices for their medicine - which many are paying out of pocket. One such person is Nazarius Celsus Dorus. Naza was kind enough to share a personal statement about his experiences living with HIV and Kaletra - here's a segment:
"The counselor came to me and we started talking. She informed me that I had to begin second-line treatment, namely, Kaletra. And what's more, I have to pay RM950 per month! As someone who just started working to have to fork out 4/5 of my salary just to pay for medication, it was such a shock."
Naza continues:
"I have had to tighten my belt because Kaletra is so expensive for me. I wish the drug company would lower the price, as I know that the number of people taking Kaletra is growing higher and higher - and there are many more who can't afford the treatment they need."
Find the rest of Naza's statement at http://www.citizen.org/actions-malaysia.
Last week, in another important step towards expanding access to treatment, MAC sent a letter to Malaysia's Ministry of Health requesting a government use license for patents related to Kaletra. Find MAC's letter at http://www.citizen.org/actions-malaysia.
We will continue to update our website with more global Kaletra campaign developments in Malaysia and elsewhere: http://www.citizen.org/Kaletra-campaign
In Solidarity,
Steve & the Public Citizen Global Access to Medicines Team
Steven Knievel
Global Access to Medicines Program
Public Citizen | Protecting Health, Safety and Democracy
TEL: +1 202-588-7771
1600 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
URL: http://www.citizen.org/access
Twitter: @PCMedsAccess
sknievel@citizen.org