[Ip-health] MSF: New Report Shows Up to 500 Percent Price Rise for AIDS Drugs

[Sheila.SHETTLE@geneva.msf.org]

New MSF Report Shows Up to 500 Percent Price Rise=0D
             for Less-toxic WHO Recommended First-line Regimen=0D
=0D
Sydney, 23 July, 2007 =E2=80=93 A new report by M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=
=C3=A8res (MSF)=0D
shows dramatic price reductions for second-line antiretroviral treatment=0D
over the last year, largely stimulated by a compulsory license issued by=0D
Thailand.  But the report also identifies a worrying trend: using the=0D
newer, less-toxic first-line combination, now recommended by the World=0D
Health Organization, raises the cost for patients by nearly 500%, from=0D
US$99 to up to US$487.  The report =E2=80=98Untangling the Web of Price Red=
uctions=E2=80=99=0D
was released today by MSF at the 4th International AIDS Society Conference=
=0D
in Sydney.=0D
=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s encouraging to see the price of second-line regimens =
finally starting=0D
to come down,=E2=80=9D said Karen Day, pharmacist with MSF=E2=80=99s Campai=
gn for Access to=0D
Essential Medicines.  =E2=80=9CBut we are worried that the lack of competit=
ion and=0D
dramatically higher prices for the newly-recommended WHO first line could=
=0D
mean that people in developing countries may not be able to benefit from=0D
improved treatment that has been widely available in wealthy countries for=
=0D
years.=E2=80=9D=0D
=0D
An MSF analysis of Brazil and Thailand=E2=80=99s efforts at providing unive=
rsal=0D
access to antiretroviral therapy shows that compulsory licenses have been=
=0D
far more effective in bringing prices down than negotiating price=0D
reductions with companies or relying on companies=E2=80=99 differential pri=
cing=0D
schemes.=0D
=0D
In January 2007, Thailand issued a =E2=80=98compulsory license=E2=80=99 to =
overcome the=0D
patent barrier on the important drug for use in second line,=0D
lopinavir/ritonavir, allowing the country to legally either import the drug=
=0D
or produce it locally.  =E2=80=9CJust one year ago, treating a patient with=
 a=0D
second-line regimen containing lopinavir/ritonavir in Thailand cost $2,800=
=0D
per year, said Kannikar Kijtiwatchakul, MSF Campaigner in Thailand.=0D
=E2=80=9CThanks to competition since the compulsory license, treating that =
same=0D
patient with a second-line regimen will now cost $695 =E2=80=93 four times =
less.=0D
But this is still far too expensive for the majority of people in Thailand,=
=0D
where the average annual salary is $1,600.=E2=80=9D=0D
=0D
MSF=E2=80=99s experience trying to obtain newer AIDS medicines over the pas=
t two=0D
years has shown that significant delays persist between when newer=0D
treatments become available in wealthy countries, and when they become=0D
available in the developing world.=0D
=0D
=E2=80=9CI work in Sydney and also have been treating patients with AIDS in=
=0D
countries like Malawi and Mozambique and the gaps I have witnessed are=0D
alarming,=E2=80=9D said Dr Alexandra Calmy, HIV/AIDS Advisor for MSF=E2=80=
=99s Campaign for=0D
Access to Essential Medicines.  =E2=80=9CAt this conference in Sydney, we=
=E2=80=99re seeing=0D
presentations on several promising drugs.  These drugs should be available=
=0D
in Africa, Asia and Latin America at the same time as they are marketed in=
=0D
rich countries, not only after years of fighting for access to them. This=
=0D
means including the needs of people living in developing countries into the=
=0D
R&D plans from the beginning.=E2=80=9D=0D
=0D
MSF is an independent, international medical humanitarian organization that=
=0D
currently provides antiretroviral treatment to more than 100,000 patients=
=0D
in over 30 countries, including to over 7,000 children.  MSF has been=0D
caring for people living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries since the=0D
mid 1990s, and first began providing antiretroviral treatment in 2000 in=0D
Thailand and South Africa.=0D
=0D
Contact:    Sheila Shettle:   043.943.2436 or  +41.79.293.0270=0D
            James Nichols:    040.752.5700=0D
=0D
+++++++++++++++++++++=0D
Sheila Shettle=0D
Senior 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, Switzerland=0D
+ 41.22.849.8403=0D
+ 41.79.293.0270 (m.)=0D
www.accessmed-msf.org=0D
+++++++++++++++++++++++=0D
SIGN MSF'S 'DROP THE CASE' PETITION=0D
=0D
Millions of people around the world today rely on affordable medicines=0D
produced in India.  Pharmaceutical company Novartis is taking the Indian=0D
government to court to force a change in the country's patent law.  If=0D
Novartis wins, a major source of affordable medicines for millions of=0D
people across the globe could dry up.=0D
=0D
MSF is urging Novartis to DROP THE CASE.=0D
=0D
Find out more and sign up to our petition:=0D
http://www.msf.org/petition_india/international.html=0D
=0D
=0D