Editor—Anything that cuts the price of drugs for HIV treatment is potentially beneficial to people with HIV infection in the developing world, as, for example, the recent deal from the World Health Organization.1 But it remains only one step on a long path.
In many developing countries, the health systems have broken down. Infrastructure and skills through which to deliver complex health care are lacking. Education levels frustrate the most effective use of complex treatments, owing to inappropriate sharing of medication or lack of compliance, phenomena also to be found in Western populations. The risk is that, by focusing so much attention on the price of complex medicines, we will overlook the massive investment needed in developing countries fighting HIV.
However, without massive state aid, international stabilisation, and reduced weapons sales, better access to medicines, which may be unaffordable for many even at their lowest future price, is not a panacea.
Competing interests: York Health Economics Consortium is a contract research company owned by the University of York. Clients include pharmaceutical companies, governments, and the NHS. The consortium has undertaken no work on patent and related issues for pharmaceutical companies or governments linked to current negotiations of the World Trade Organisation. York Health Economics Consortium has estimated savings from parallel trade in medicines in Europe for parallel traders. PAW has researched the cost effectiveness of HIV prevention strategies for non-governmental organisations and the UK government in many developing countries.
References
- 1.Pollock M, Price D. New deal from the World Health Organization. BMJ 29003;327: 571. (13 September.) [Google Scholar]