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Special issue on access to medicines, pricing and generics

September 2009

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This issue has articles about medicine prices in Vietnam, Thailand and South Africa, generic medicines in Malaysia and Australia, anti-retroviral therapy in South Africa, and legislation and regulation in the retail pharmacy sector in low-income countries.
Southern Med Review : Vol 2, Issue 2

Community based HIV testing and HIV treatment as prevention

FREEMAN, Nell
June 2009

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"This Update explores community based HIV testing and counselling and the issues of using antiretroviral (ARV) treatment as prevention. "A ...WHO paper published in the Lancet [in 2009] explored, using mathematical modelling on the possible effects of wide uptake of HIV testing and immediate treatment for all those identified as HIV positive. This in some circles is called the ‘test and treat approach’ - that is population coverage of HIV testing and immediate treatment in order to reduce the incidence of HIV at a population level. "This update highlights two main areas: models of community based HIV testing exploring the evidence of what can work at large scale, and the mathematical modelling of treatment as prevention. "This update is informed by recent WHO discussions on these two areas"

A handbook for network support agents and other community workers supporting HIV prevention, care, support and treatment

March 2009

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This manual is intended to help network support agents and other community workers be more effective in disseminating standardised information about HIV and AIDS. It "...emphasises the importance of the acquisition of knowledge, skills and the right attitude needed to identify the psychosocial needs of people of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and address these needs by giving information, counselling and appropriate referrals. Knowledge of counselling and psychosocial care, is combined as much as possible with prevention activities such as adopting HIV basic care positive prevention and adherence to treatment"

Intellectual property rights and access to ARV medicines : civil society resistance in the global south|Brazil, Colombia, China, India, Thailand

REIS, Renata
TERTO, Veriano Jr
PIMENTA, Maria Cristina Pimenta
Eds
2009

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This book looks at "...the recent history and the many struggles related to advocacy for access to [antiretroviral] medicines of engaged civil society. Through the experiences of five middle-income countries - Brazil, China, Colombia, India, and Thailand." It presents "...the perspective of local civil society organisations about the national impact of intellectual property protection and access to medications. "These five countries were chosen due to their accumulated experience in this field, their capacity to produce generic medication, their activist efforts, and the exchange of ideas and information that already exists between them"

Life-saving HIV treatment : three problems, one solution

UNITAID
2009

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This animation gives a clear explanation of the benefits of creating a patent pool for HIV medicines. Such a pool would enable drug licence holders to receive a fee while also enabling patents to be accessed by researchers, working on the development of new medicines, and generic manufacturers, which could potentially make newer medicines more affordable to people living in developing countries

The global economic crisis and HIV prevention and treatment programmes : vulnerabilities and impact

BONNEL, Rene
DE BEYER, Joy
BENNETT, Dianne
2009

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This report summarises responses gathered, in late March 2009, from respondents in 71 countries. It asked whether antiretroviral treatment had been affected, or might be affected in future, by the global economic crisis. It identifies regions that appear to be more vulnerable than others and highlights the causes and negative effects of disruption to antiretroviral treatment programmes or services. The report suggests ways to maintain and expand access to HIV treatment in a difficult economic climate

Seizing the opportunity on AIDS and health systems

OOMMAN, Nandini
BERNSTEIN, Michael
ROSENZWEIG, Steven
August 2008

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This is a comparison of donor interactions with national health systems in Mozambique, Uganda, and Zambia - specifically: the health information systems, the supply chain systems for essential medicines, and human resources for health. It focuses on the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the World Bank’s Africa Multi-Country AIDS Program

Benchmarking antiretroviral prices in countries of the former Soviet Union

WANING, Brenda
et al
June 2008

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This study benchmarks ARV prices of former Soviet Union (FSU) countries against each other and against global and European region ARV prices. The study reveals that extreme price variation exists within and across FSU countries for identical ARVs, which suggests that some countries may be able to obtain ARVs at lower prices and therefore purchase additional ARVs to treat more people

Towards universal access : scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector : progress report 2008

WORLD HEALTH ORGNAIZATION (WHO)
JOINT UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
2008

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This report provides in-depth information on: treatment and care for people living with HIV; HIV testing and counselling; health sector interventions for HIV prevention; scaling up HIV services for women and children; strengthening health systems and health information; and towards universal access as the way forward

Missing the target #5 : improving AIDS drug access and advancing health care for all

INTERNATIONAL TREATMENT PREPAREDNESS COALITION (ITPC)
December 2007

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This report documents how the mobilisation around AIDS is driving health systems advancement in China, Dominican Republic, Zimbabwe, Russia, Kenya, India, Cameroon, Zambia and Cambodia, and it highlights the need for improvements in broader systems of care and services to meet the needs of people living with HIV & AIDS and the communities in which they live. It also considers ARV procurement, registration and stock-outs in Argentina, Belize, Cambodia, China, Dominican Republic, India, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Philippines, Russia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Early infant diagnosis of HIV through dried blood spot testing

PATHFINDER INTERNATIONAL / KENYA
October 2007

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Until recently the test used to diagnose HIV in babies under one-year has required sophisticated and expensive equipment. A new test has now been developed - dried blood spot testing which can be used to diagnose HIV as early as six weeks after a baby is born and has the advantage of being easy to prepare in a resource-limited setting and shipped to testing facilities without refrigeration. If a baby is given prophylactic antibiotics, such as cotrimoxazole, soon after birth and Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) as soon as is medically indicated, it has a good chance of surviving childhood and living a long, healthy life

Treatment literacy : empowering communities to access AIDS treatment

DUNN, Alison
October 2006

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This paper explores the contribution of information and communication strategies to universal access to anti-retroviral treatment. It suggests that people taking antiretroviral drugs and their supporters need to understand new and complex ideas around drugs, side effects, nutrition and positive living. Treatment literacy aims to help individuals and communities understand why ARV treatment is needed, and what it can and cannot do. Effective treatment literacy, developed by or with people living with HIV and AIDS and those taking ART, can lead to improved health outcomes, better adherence to drug regimes and higher uptake of voluntary counselling and testing. Current resources and community capacity to understand and support antiretroviral therapy are not sufficient

Expanding pediatric access to antiretroviral therapy in South Africa

MICHAELS, Desireé
et al
August 2006

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This paper presents the results of a rapid situational analysis of the antiretroviral (ARV) rollout in South Africa which found that several ARV programmes are treating children successfully. However, all the institutions surveyed identified a large number of concerns and challenges that need to be overcome in order to improve care for children living with HIV. Key actions required include early identification of HIV-infected children, effective referral, standardised training in pediatric HIV management for health professionals, and increased community awareness and support

Guidance for United States Government in-country staff and implementing partners for a preventive care package for adults - #1

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (PEPFAR)
April 2006

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This report suggests that focus-countries under PEPFAR's Emergency Plan should adopt a standard "preventative care package" as part of their palliative care programmes. It acknowledges that components of the care package are likely to vary within regions and even within countries. The report provides the scientific basis for the interventions that could be included in a preventive care package. Although most of the interventions included are pertinent to both adults and children, HIV-infected/exposed children require additional consideration and a separate document focusing on a preventive care package for such children has been developed

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