[Ip-health] MSF: WHO sticks head in sand over high cost of newer AIDS drugs

[Sheila.SHETTLE@geneva.msf.org]

For Immediate Release:=0D
        WHO sticks head in sand over high cost of newer AIDS drugs=0D
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    Must act to ensure long-term quality care for people with HIV/AIDS=0D
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TORONTO, 14 August 2006 =E2=80=93 After nearly six years of providing=0D
antiretroviral treatment in developing countries, the international medical=
=0D
humanitarian organization M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res (MSF) expresse=
d dismay=0D
at the political complacency surrounding the need to ensure that newer AIDS=
=0D
medicines are accessible for people living with HIV/AIDS in developing=0D
countries.=0D
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Data released by MSF at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto=0D
clearly show how the high price of newer medicines is driving the cost of=
=0D
treatment up and threatening the sustainability of treatment programmes:=0D
-     in the MSF-supported programme in Khayelitsha, South Africa, 10% of=
=0D
patients at=0D
            3 years and 16% at 4 years need to switch to second-line;=0D
            however, second-line treatment is five times more expensive=0D
            than first-line.=0D
      -     in Nigeria 8% of patients on treatment for 18 months need=0D
            second-line, which costs over seven more than first line ($US=
=0D
            200 vs $US 1,473).=0D
      -     in Guatemala, a second-line regimen costs US$6500 =E2=80=93 28 =
times=0D
            more than the first-line.=0D
=0D
The World Health Organization=E2=80=99s latest antiretroviral treatment gui=
delines=0D
for resource-poor settings released at the Toronto Conference recommend=0D
newer generation ARVs for both first- and second-line therapy. Because of=
=0D
patent issues, many of these drugs are not available from generic=0D
manufacturers.  As a result, originator companies are able to charge=0D
prohibitively high prices and are often slow to make the drugs available in=
=0D
developing countries.=0D
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=E2=80=9CWe applaud the fact that WHO has expanded the drug formulary to in=
clude=0D
newer drugs into their guidelines. However, no mechanism exists to make=0D
those drugs available at a country level.=E2=80=9D said Dr Alexandra Calmy =
of MSF=E2=80=99s=0D
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. =E2=80=9CIt is the responsibili=
ty of=0D
WHO to encourage governments to use the flexibilities in the WTO TRIPS=0D
Agreement, including issuing compulsory licenses to access generic drugs.=
=0D
Other actors, including the Global Fund and UNAIDS must also get serious=0D
about the fact that we=E2=80=99re facing a potentially major crisis unless =
they act=0D
now to bring down the cost of treatment.=E2=80=9D=0D
=0D
Generic competition has been a major engine driving down the price of first=
=0D
line drugs from over $US 10,000 per patient per year to under $US 140.=0D
Today, 50% of people in the developing world on ARVs rely on generic=0D
medicines from India. However, now that countries like India have to grant=
=0D
patents on medicines, sources of generic medicines are at risk of drying=0D
up.=0D
=0D
Ensuring affordability of newer medicines is the only way to ensure=0D
long-term quality care for people with HIV/AIDS in the developing world. =
=E2=80=9CI=0D
would not be alive today if I could not access second-line medicines,=E2=80=
=9D says=0D
Ibrahim Umoru, a peer educator working for MSF in Lagos, Nigeria, who had=
=0D
to switch treatment in 2006 after having developed resistance to=0D
first-line. =E2=80=9CI am in the very lucky minority. Most patients whose l=
ives had=0D
been saved by first-line treatment will be abandoned the moment they need=
=0D
second-line drugs unless governments pull their heads out of the sand and=
=0D
start tackling this issue.=E2=80=9D=0D
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  Contact:  Sheila Shettle +1.416.455.7916 or Lorna Chiu  +1.416.892.1496=
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=0D
 MSF provides antiretroviral treatment to more than 60,000 patients in 32=
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                                countries.=0D
      MSF Briefing Document for the XVI International AIDS Conference=0D
     =E2=80=9CTOO LITTLE FOR TOO FEW: Challenges for effective and accessib=
le=0D
                          antiretroviral therapy=E2=80=9D=0D
                              available at www.accessmed-msf.org  and=0D
www.msf.ca/aids2006=0D
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=0D
=0D
+++++++++++++++++++++=0D
at Toronto AIDS Conference:  +1.416.455.7916=0D
+++++++++++++++++++++=0D
Sheila Shettle=0D
Communications Officer=0D
M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res=0D
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines=0D
Rue de Lausanne 78=0D
1211 Geneva=0D
Switzerland=0D
+ 41.22.849.8403=0D
sheila.shettle@geneva.msf.org=0D
www.accessmed-msf.org=0D
=0D