E-DRUG: MSF: Strategies to Secure Access to Generic Hepatitis C Medicines
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MSF has published a new briefing document,[1]
Strategies to Secure Access to Generic Hepatitis C Medicines
MSF is in the process of starting to treat people who are living with
hepatitis C virus (HCV) in at least nine countries, and therefore is in
need of affordable access to direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatments,
including those marketed by Gilead Sciences (Gilead) and Bristol-Myers
Squibb (BMS).
Gilead has signed voluntary licenses with 11 Indian generics
manufacturers to market generic versions of Gilead's DAAs in some low-
and middle-income countries, while BMS will soon sign voluntary
licenses with a few generics manufacturers.
However, Gilead's voluntary licenses restrict access to affordable generic versions
of these DAAs for millions of people with HCV in 50 middle-income countries (MICs).
It is expected that BMS's license will have similar restrictions.
There are legal means that countries excluded from voluntary licenses
can consider using to get access to affordable generic versions of
DAAs. Countries must also overcome regulatory barriers that may keep
both branded and generic versions of DAAs from entering the market.
This briefing document offers guidance to policy makers to enable
access to these medicines to scale up HCV treatment.
Read and download the document here: [2]
http://www.msfaccess.org/content/strategies-secure-access-generic-hepatitis-c-medicines
References
1. http://www.msfaccess.org/content/strategies-secure-access-generic-hepatitis-c-medicines
2. http://www.msfaccess.org/content/strategies-secure-access-generic-hepatitis-c-medicines
3. https://mail.newyork.msf.org/mail5/jreid.nsf/iNotes/Mail/jennifer.reid@newyork.msf.org
Jennifer Reid
Researcher, MSF Access Campaign
Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
333 Seventh Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001
Phone: +1-212-763-5714
jennifer.reid@newyork.msf.org