Former President Bill Clinton announced Thursday that his foundation has negotiated lower prices on AIDS tests and on two important AIDS drugs.
Four companies, from the United States, India and China, will offer rapid HIV tests for 49 to 65 US cents, which will reduce the typical cost of a test in poor countries by half, Mr. Clinton said in a written statement.
Another four companies – three from India and one from South Africa – will make the antiretroviral drug efavirenz for as little as 240 US dollar per patient per year. One of the Indian companies, Cipla, will also make the antiretroviral abacavir for 447 dollar.
The most common three-drug combination pill for HIV now costs 136 dollar per year, so the new drugs, even at steep discounts from the thousands of dollars they cost in the West, can easily triple the cost of therapy.
But as patients become resistant to their first-line drugs, doctors must have new options.
The William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation acts as a broker, meeting with the health ministries of about 50 poor countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and with drug makers.
Chembio (US), Orgenics (Israel), Qualpro Diagnostics (India) and Shanghai Kehua (China) will offer tests for 0,49-0,65 US dollar each (50 per cent cheaper than market price)
Cipla (India), Ranbaxy (India), Strides Arcolab (India) and Aspen Pharmacare (S Africa) will offer Efavirenz for 240 dollar per patient p/a
Cipla will also offer Abacavir for 447 dollar per patient p/a
Both drugs 30 per cent cheaper than market prices
Kilde: The Push Journal
