Note accents on Pécoul and Médecins Sans Frontières Drug companies cut HIV drug prices in the developing world
BMJ 2000; 320 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7246.1362/b (Published 20 May 2000) Cite this as: BMJ 2000;320:1362- Gavin Yamey
- BMJ
The United Nations announced last week that five multinational pharmaceutical companies will cut the price of HIV drugs in the developing world. Over 90% of HIV positive people live in developing countries, and most cannot afford the high price of antiretroviral drugs.
GlaxoWellcome, one of the five companies involved, has promised to reduce the price of its combination tablet of zidovudine and lamivudine to $2 (£1.25) in the poorest countries. This is a fifth of its price in the United States and a third of its current price in Uganda.
Peter Piot, director of the United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS, who negotiated the agreement, welcomed the companies' promises but warned that price cuts alone will not curb the epidemic.
“Lowering the price of medicines,” he said, “is only one critical factor in what must become a much broader and more …
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