E-drug: MSF Press Release Durban
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PRESS RELEASE
MSF CALLS FOR REPLICATION AND EXPANSION OF
SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO REDUCE AIDS DRUG PRICES
Durban, South Africa, 9 July 2000 � On the eve of the XIII International
AIDS Conference, the medical aid agency M�decins Sans Fronti�res (MSF)
released a report demonstrating how some developing countries have already
significantly reduced the prices of AIDS drugs, and suggested steps to
replicate and expand upon these successes.
By producing quality generic medicines, countries such as Brazil have made
AIDS drugs affordable to tens of thousands of people who would otherwise go
untreated because they could not afford branded products. Through an
analysis of ten essential drugs for HIV/AIDS in 8 countries, the report,
entitled 'HIV/AIDS Medicines Pricing', shows how the minimum price
for AIDS drugs in the developing countries studied is on average 82%
less than in the US. This difference has not resulted from discounts
by multinational
companies, but rather from generic competition and initiatives by national
governments.
In parallel to the efforts of individual countries, the report also
recommends the UN, led by UNAIDS, should develop a system to facilitate the
bulk purchasing of AIDS drugs by putting out a tender to multinational
pharmaceutical drug companies and local and international generic producers.
'We are using antiretroviral treatment in our program here in South Africa
to reduce the transmission of HIV to newborns, so we know these drug can be
safely and effectively used in a resource-poor setting,' said Eric Goemaere,
M.D., Head of Mission, MSF-South Africa. 'We would like to expand this
program to the treatment of adults, but we are blocked by high drug prices.
We are doubtful that current approaches, including drug donations and vague
promises of price reductions, will benefit our patients anytime soon. In
contrast, if generics were available in South Africa, we could treat
patients tomorrow.'
In the report, MSF challenges the international community to take immediate
steps to bring antiretroviral prices down to levels that would be affordable
to people in developing countries. The report states that through
dramatically expanded generic production and bulk purchasing, the price of
antiretroviral treatment could be reduced to as little as US$200 a year.
This target price contrasts sharply to US$2,250 price that would
result from the recently announced UNAIDS public-private partnership
(85% reduction off the current global price of triple drug therapy of
$15,000).
MSF cited the UN vaccine and contraceptive programs as models of what
can be done when international organisations, national governments,
and the drug
industry work together to dramatically increase access to essential medical
interventions in poor countries. These efforts have created dramatic price
differentials between developing countries and wealthier nations: oral
contraceptives cost US$0.14-0.23 per month through the UN and US$30
in the United States.
When countries are barred from accessing low cost drugs due to the
exclusive marketing rights of the patent holder, international
organizations should actively support the efforts of developing
countries to improve access
through parallel imports, and voluntary and compulsory licenses.
In addition, the report shows that justifications for high prices of
originator's branded products are overstated. Public investment in AIDS
drugs has been significant: 5 out of 6 of the antiretrovirals analysed in
the study received public funding and the patents for drugs (didanosine and
stavudine) are held by public authorities.
'Differential pricing should not have a negative effect on research and
development of new treatments, especially when you consider that Africa
currently only represents one percent of the world-wide drug market' said
Daniel Berman, coordinator of MSF's Access to Essential Medicines Campaign.
'Companies can survive and prosper if prices are lower in poor countries.
More importantly, millions of lives can be saved.'
The report is available on the Internet at:
www.msf.org
www.accessmed-msf.org
# # #
"Ellen 't Hoen" <ethoen@compuserve.com>
Health Action International (HAI) Europe
website:http://www.haiweb.org
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