| Author (Person) | McLauchlin, Anna |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.10, No.42, 2.12.04 |
| Publication Date | 02/12/2004 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 02/12/04 By Anna McLauchlin The price of anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) treatment, which can delay the onset of AIDS, has dropped from around &036;10,000 (e7,500) per patient per year in 2000 to around &036;100-&036;350 (e75-e265) today, according to the European Commission. But Seco Gerard from relief agency Médecins Sans Frontières warns that there are new obstacles looming which could “set us back more than five years in terms of providing cheap treatment”. At the end of October the Commission published the next Programme for Action on confronting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria for 2006, on which the Council of Ministers and the Parliament are expected to base a formal proposal by the end of April 2005. The Commission's main strategy is to encourage companies to sign up to an EU scheme for tiered pricing, adopted in 2003, under which firms sell drugs at reduced prices in 76 poor countries, and to press poorer countries to take advantage of the World Trade Organization (WTO) patent waiver agreement. This allows generic drug companies to produce patented medicines for export into developing countries. But from 1 January some developing countries must implement the WTO's TRIPS (trade-related intellectual property rights) agreement, introducing patent protection for pharmaceuticals. Though the patent waiver could have some impact, Gerard warns that developing countries might be deterred by the various administrative procedures involved. The increasing need for secondary ARVs will exacerbate the problem, as more patients develop resistance to the main drugs. If it is too difficult to import generic versions of new ARVs there are fears that generic companies will not produce them. “We need an agenda which focuses on what patients need,” argues Gerard. “Otherwise how can we ensure that we can get the next generation of drugs at affordable prices?” Article reports on the European Commission's initiative to encourage companies to sign up to an EU scheme for tiered pricing, adopted in 2003, under which firms sell drugs at reduced prices in 76 poor countries, and to press poorer countries to take advantage of the World Trade Organization (WTO) patent waiver agreement. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Subject Categories | Business and Industry, Health, Trade |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
