PHA-Exchange> UN HEALTH AGENCY HAILS MOVE TO CUT PRICE OF KEY HIV/AIDS DRUG

[claudio at hcmc.netnam.vn]

 from Vern Weitzel <vern at coombs.anu.edu.au> -----
From: UNNews at un.org

The United Nations World Health Organization 
(<"http://www.who.int/hiv/en">WHO) today welcomed the 
decision of Abbott Laboratories to reduce the price of a drug which has proved 
particularly 
effective as a “second-line” antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people 
living with HIV/AIDS.

The price of lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r, marketed as Kaletra/Aluvia) has been 
lowered by Abbott in 
some low and middle-income countries, where many HIV/AIDS drugs are 
unaffordable and demand for this 
medicine is growing.

Worldwide the number of people being treated with ART keeps growing in low and 
middle-income 
countries. This has caused a rise in the number of people in those nations who 
have developed 
resistance to so-called “first-line” treatments, thus boosting demand for 
second-line ART.

In a statement released today, the WHO welcomed Abbott’s decision and said 
it would continue to work 
with countries, people living with HIV/AIDS, organizations and the 
pharmaceutical industry “to find 
mechanisms that address the immediate need to rapidly increase access and 
affordability of 
life-saving drugs, while maintaining the long-term need to foster research and 
development in 
innovative medicines.”

WHO has pledged to work towards universal access to HIV prevention services 
and to treatment and 
care for people living with HIV/AIDS, all by 2010.


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