E-DRUG: Zambia grants 5-year compulsory license for generic ARV production
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[Copied as fair use. WB]
Courtesy of Zambia Daily Mail
23/09/04
Local firm gets ARVs licence
By NANCY MWAPE
THE Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry has granted the first
compulsory licence under the Patent Act to Pharco Limited, for the local
manufacturing of anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs.
Briefing the press in Lusaka, Commerce, Trade and Industry permanent
secretary, Davidson Chilipamushi, said Commerce minister, Dipak Patel,
signed the licence No. CL 01/2004 which meant that the company can begin
manufacturing the drugs.
The issued compulsory licence lasts up to 2009 but if Government sees the
expected results, the period for manufacturing of drugs would be extended.
Mr Chilipamushi said Government was conscious of the fact that the HIV/AIDS
pandemic constitutes a serious handicap in the national struggle against
hunger, illness and under-development.
Government has further taken into consideration that high rates of morbidity
and mortality have put Zambia among 10 countries in Africa most hit by
HIV/AIDS.
Current estimates are that at the end of 2003, over 917,718 Zambians were
infected by HIV, of whom an estimated number was suffering from full-blown
AIDS.
The AIDS death toll is so far in excess of 835,904 and about 750,504
children have been orphaned by the pandemic, creating a situation where 75
per cent of households in Zambia were caring for at least one orphan.
Mr Chilipamushi said inspite of the multiplicity and diversity vigorous
prevention campaigns, the spread of HIV was still on an upward trend.
And Pharco managing director, Giovanni Leonardi, said the company was
grateful to receive the licence which posed a bigger challenge the company
was ready for.
Mr Leonardi was confident that the company would assist Government in the
production of affordable and cheaper ARVs.
Before the production of drugs can begin by 2005, there is need to conduct
some pre-qualification of the World Trade Organisation which would take
about three months