1 million HIV patients in India have no access to treatment

[Guest guest]

1 million HIV patients in India have no access to treatment

Press Trust Of India

Geneva, September 28, 2010

Over one million HIV/AIDS patients in India are without access to the

much-needed anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment, a new international report said

today, suggesting that India should consider issuing compulsory licensing for

increasing availability of drugs. The joint report issued by the World

Health Organisation, UNAIDS, and UNICEF said India had made progress in scaling

up access over the years, but said given its robust generic drug industry it

could have done better.

" India has done well in scaling up access to the ARV therapy over the last seven

years, " says a senior WHO official, suggesting there is still a huge gap to

address.

The universal gap between those needing urgent ARV treatment for HIV/AIDS the

world over and those unable to have any access climbed to over 15 million people

and there is an urgent need for funds to the tune of USD 10 billion, says Rifat

Atun, a senior official of the Global Fund which is the main provider of

assistance to countries afflicted with HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

India now ranks third in scaling up access, after South Africa and Kenya during

the last five years.

However, it needs to cross some distance for ensuring universal access for all

its HIV/AIDS patients.

Around 3,20,074 have received ARV therapy in India at the end of last year as

compared to 2,34,581 patients to the previous year. Between 1.1 and 1.4 million

HIV/AIDS patients have no access for ARV therapy in India.

Given the number of health professionals and the state of the art generic drug

industry in India, the performance on the HIV/AIDS front could be far better in

comparison with other low-income countries in Southern Africa, say analysts.

India must consider issuing compulsory licenses for ensuring free access to

second and third-line treatment for HIV/AIDS patients whose number is steadily

climbing.

Compulsory licensing enables a national government to revoke a license issued to

a patent holder and thereby, allow other parties to produce and sell a patented

product for non-commercial purposes.

Several industrialised nations resorted to compulsory licensing to enable their

national health departments to procure medicines at low prices so as to provide

free of cost in government hospitals.

India is yet issue a compulsory license despite its rising HIV/AIDS patients who

now need second and third-line treatment.

In 2006, Thailand issued compulsory license for the production of patented drugs

for for its HIV-infected population. Later, Brazil also issued compulsory

license for the production of patent-drugs produced by an American

pharmaceutical company despite enormous pressure from the US.

" Ultimately, the decision to issue a compulsory license depends on the national

government, " says ngela Simao, a senior UNAIDS official.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/1-million-HIV-patients-in-India-have-no-access-to-\

treatment/Article1-605731.aspx