[Pharm-policy] Hindu on CIPLA offer

[James Love]

A reader writes: "FYI This is the first mention 
of the number of countries (10) to be covered by 
the MSF-Cipla programme, that south-east asia will 
also be covered and even a vague mention of the 
number of patients (one lakh, which is 100,000)"


Sunday, February 25, 2001
 Cipla ready with anti-AIDS drugs 

 By Ramnath Subbu 

 MUMBAI, FEB. 24. The Mumbai-based Cipla is
 ready to supply its triple-combination anti-retroviral
 (anti-AIDS) drugs for one lakh patients in the first lot
 itself. Cipla is supplying the drugs to Medicines Sans
 Frontiers (MSF) (Doctors without Borders) who will
 be distributing the drugs in Africa and Southeast
 Asia. 

 Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Amar Lulla, joint
 managing director, Cipla, said ``The quantum of the
 order is not yet finalised. The formalities and
 procedures for the import of the medicines are
 currently being worked out.'' 

 ``Initially, the order is for countries in Africa and
 Southeast Asia. It will be supplied to ten countries
 including Cameroon and Cambodia. We will be
 fulfilling the orders country by country and at different
 points of time. At the moment, we are ready to
 supply drugs for one lakh patients in the first lot
 itself,'' Mr. Lulla added. 

 A joint press statement issued by MSF and Cipla
 says that governments of developing countries can
 immediately take advantage of the offer made by the
 Mumbai-based Cipla for its triple-combination
 anti-retroviral drugs for $600 per patient per year by
 contacting the company directly. This is the result of
 two days of discussions between MSF and Cipla on
 how the Cipla offer for affordable anti-AIDS drugs
 will be implemented. 

 ``This offer is available without restrictions in time,
 geography or quantity. This the first time that
 across-the-board price reductions have been made
 available without restrictions. The company will also
 provide similar level of prices for its other
 anti-retroviral drugs. Cipla co-operates with drug
 regulatory authorities to provide all necessary
 documentation for registration as required in
 individual countries.'' said the joint press release. 

 MSF will integrate some of these drugs into existing
 protocols where these drugs are already registered
 by national health authorities. The organisation is
 beginning anti-retroviral pilot programmes in about
 ten countries. Sources of drug supply will vary
 according to availability, registration and affordability.

 To expand the offer of a humanitarian price ($350
 per patient per year) which has been made to MSF,
 Cipla agreed to examine several additional
 possibilities, including working with third parties to
 increase the number of patients that could be reached
 and treated. 

 In Africa, MSF has set up a small pilot programme
 to develop models for broader approaches to
 combat AIDS and will distribute the drugs sourced
 from Cipla free of cost. Globally, MSF has about 40
 AIDS projects with 20 being located in Africa and is
 the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 for
 working in war- torn impoverished areas. The
 release adds that Cipla is also open to have a
 dialogue with the relevant UN agencies. The
 company also agrees to participate in meaningful
 discussions on potential international procurement of
 anti-retrovirals for developing countries, along with
 developing country representatives, donors and
 relevant members of the UN system. 

 A sample of Cipla's prices offered to governments -
 a combination of Stavudine (d4T) 40 mg tablets,
 Lamivudine (3TC) 150 mg tablets and Nevirapine
 (NVP) 200 mg tablets, twice daily for $600 per
 patient per year. The individual drug prices are d4T
 40 mg: $70, 3TC 150 mg $190, NVP 200 mg
 $340. 

-- 
James Love
Consumer Project on Technology
P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
http://www.cptech.org
love@cptech.org
1.202.387.8030 fax 1.202.234.5176