The New York Times recently reported on an odd problem — that there are too many companies making too many generic anti-retroviral drugs to treat HIV.
Typically, the complaint has been that anti-retroviral drugs made by pharmaceutical companies are too expensive for the developing world, and that what is needed are cheaper, generic drugs. But a report by Treat Asia finds that there are so many companies and drugs that Asia is at risk of rapidly creating drug-resistant versions of HIV.
According to the report, there are at least 27 companies in Asia manufacturing anti-HIV drugs, only three of which have met the World Health Organization’s quality standards.
In addition, throughout Asia there are few doctors to treat AIDS patients, so those who can afford the anti-retrovirals often obtain the drugs over-the-counter and self-medicate.
Kevin Robert Frost of Treat Asia told The New York Times,
Our point is if there is proliferation of the generic drugs, as many are calling for, where is the infrastructure to deliver them? In Asia, the availability of drugs is far outstripping the capacity to deliver them.
Source:
AIDS drugs’ fast rise in Asia risks resistant strains. Lawrence Altman, The New York Times, July 8, 2004.