Latest guide to antiretroviral price reductions now available

Keith Alcorn
Estimated reading time 1 minutes
This article is more than 21 years old.

The latest guide to antiretroviral price reductions is now available from Medecins sans Frontieres.

Untangling the web of price reductions, published by MSF’s Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, itemises the prices offered by all known manufacturers for nucleoside analogues, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors.

The report also provides details of the terms on which manufacturers are offering reduced prices, and for the first time itemises who is eligible to buy generic versions of antiretrovirals at low prices.

Glossary

generic

In relation to medicines, a drug manufactured and sold without a brand name, in situations where the original manufacturer’s patent has expired or is not enforced. Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as branded drugs, and have comparable strength, safety, efficacy and quality.

nucleoside

A precursor to a building block of DNA or RNA. Nucleosides must be chemically changed into nucleotides before they can be used to make DNA or RNA. 

reverse transcriptase

A retroviral enzyme which converts genetic material from RNA into DNA, an essential step in the lifecycle of HIV. Several classes of anti-HIV drugs interfere with this stage of HIV’s life cycle: nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). 

paediatric

Of or relating to children.

formulation

The physical form in which a drug is manufactured or administered. Examples of formulations include tablets, capsules, powders, and oral and injectable solutions. A drug may be available in multiple formulations.

The report’s authors say that although the availability of generic versions of antiretrovirals has had a powerful impact on the price level for all antiretrovirals over the past two years, it cannot be relied upon to ensure equitable access.

“There is an urgent need to develop a more systematic, transparent approach to differential pricing of originator products [branded drugs] in addition to stimulating generic competition.”, they say.

The report also includes details of paediatric formulation pricing. Generic formulations of zidovudine, lamivudine, stavudine and nevirapine are available for children at a substantial discount in comparison to the best offer of branded manufacturers.

To download the report in pdf form, click here

Note: we have previously attempted to keep up to date a guide to antiretroviral price reductions. We will no longer attempt to do so, since the MSF guide provides a comprehensive overview.

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