E-drug: MSF press release on generic ARV prices
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AIDS Triple-Therapy for Less than $1/Day
MSF Challenges Pharmaceutical Industry to Match Generic Prices
7 February 2001, Geneva - M�decins Sans Fronti�res (MSF)
welcomes the announcement made by generic drug manufacturer Cipla,
that it will
sell its triple-combination therapy for AIDS to MSF for $350 per year
per patient and to governments for $600/year. The details of the
offer request that government purchases have the "backing of MSF,"
which is not practical or necessary, therefore MSF requests that Cipla
offer this price directly to governments and UN agencies.
This offer demonstrates that the target price of $200/year, set out in
an MSF report at the international AIDS conference in Durban last
July, is almost within reach. The $350 price is a discount of 96.6%
off the price of the same combination in the US, which would cost
about $10,400.
For the short term, MSF calls on the five pharmaceutical companies
involved in the UNAIDS Accelerating Access Initiative to match the
current offer, make their prices public, and streamline the
implementation process, so that drugs can be delivered as quickly as
possible to patients. The offer by Indian generic manufacturer Cipla
demonstrates that proprietary companies can immediately reduce their
prices further. On World AIDS Day, MSF called on the five companies
to lower their US prices by 95%. No company has responded positively.
Under the UNAIDS initiative, Senegal is currently paying $1008 to
$1821 per year - almost three times the generic price -- while
companies have refused to disclose prices for Uganda and Rwanda.
Political commitment to combating AIDS and improving access to
treatment is a cornerstone of defeating this epidemic. For example,
the political commitment of the government of Brazil has successfully
cut AIDS deaths in half, largely thanks to its ability to produce
generic AIDS medicines. Large-scale quality producers, including the
government of Brazil, can both supply life-saving medicines to other
developing countries and support their efforts to begin domestic
production.
Developing countries should take full advantage of their rights to
produce or import generic AIDS drugs under the WTO TRIPS agreement.
The immediate challenge is to convert this generic price into action.
The international community must now provide political, practical, and
financial support. Political support is needed for developing
countries to overcome barriers posed by patents. The UN system can
provide practical support through procurement and distribution
assistance. And donors can provide financial support by allocating
funds for purchase of drugs and implementation of antiretroviral
treatment programmes. An international meeting should immediately
convene developing countries, UN agencies, drug manufacturers, and
funders to determine the best strategy for implementation.
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Suerie Moon
Editor
Access to Essential Medicines Campaign
M�decins Sans Fronti�res (MSF)
rue du Lac 12
CP 6090
1207 Geneva
Switzerland
tel: +41 (22) 849 84 01
fax: +41 (22) 849 84 04
access-com@geneva.msf.org
www.accessmed.msf.org
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