[Pharm-policy] AP on Nigeria/Cipla deal

[Mike Palmedo]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-af/2001/jul/31/073102438.html

July 31, 2001 at 13:05:26 PDT

Nigeria Launching Largest AIDS Program

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Nigeria plans to launch the largest AIDS treatment
program in Africa using cheap generic drugs on Sept. 1, a U.N. special
envoy said.

The 10,000 adults and 5,000 children who will receive a drug cocktail
are just a tiny fraction of the more than 2.6 million Nigerians infected
with the HIV virus that causes AIDS.

<snip>

Obasanjo sent his health minister to India a few weeks ago to negotiate
with the pharmaceutical company Cipla Ltd., which makes generic AIDS
drugs.

In February, Cipla offered to sell a three-drug AIDS cocktail to
nonprofit agencies for $350 a year per African patient - provided the
patients weren't charged. The company said at the time that African
governments could purchase the same drugs for $600 per patient.

But the Nigerian health minister was able to negotiate a $350 a year per
patient deal with Cipla, Lewis said.

The Nigerian government will subsidize about 80 percent of the cost, but
patients who receive treatment will have to pay between $7 and $8 a
month, Lewis said.

Nigeria intends to use a six-drug regimen for 60 percent of the patients
and a two-drug regimen for the other 40 percent, he said.

The drugs are expected to have similar results, but the government will
monitor and evaluate how patients cope with the different programs,
which will be administered by Nigeria's teaching hospitals, he said.

<snip>