FW: Doctors without Borders at the International AIDS Society Conference: Treat AIDS and Don't Turn Back

[Guest guest]

FYI From: Doctors WithoutBorders/Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) [mailto:emi.maclean@...] Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 7:02 PM ZeitzSubject: Doctors without Borders at the International AIDS SocietyConference: Treat AIDS and Don't Turn Back Dear :A week ago, Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, or MSF)joined policymakers, scientists, and advocates at the International AIDSConference in Vienna, Austria. I want to take the opportunity to sharewith you some of our recent field research presented at the conference as wellas information regarding the current global HIV/AIDS policies.There are reportedly 5.2 million people on lifesaving antiretroviraltreatment as of December 2009, with the support of the international donorcommunity, including with important US leadership. This is an enormoussuccess for those who would not be alive without treatment. There is alsoincreasing evidence that this is a success for prevention efforts given theunique importance of treatmentas prevention. In Vienna, MSF presented results from field research which demonstrates theability to scale up treatment access relying on patient-centeredefficiencies: making the most of existing health system capacity in orderto reach as many people as possible and maintain quality care. Suchstrategies can translate into more people on treatment, but it’s clear thatsuch measures to find efficiencies will only go so far and that substantial andregular funding is needed in addition to downward pressure on the price ofdrugs.Among these findings:* Patients starting treatment earlier had significantly reducedhospitalization, loss to follow-up, morbidity and mortality. (readmore) * A decrease in the cost of tenofovir would make this much improved regimencost-equivalent to the more toxic stavudine (D4T) based regimen now widely usedas the most common first-line throughout Africa. (read more) * Evidence supports effective simplified approaches to decentralized care, suchas community-based treatment support groups to decongest health services,support scale up, and improve adherence. (readmore) * A decentralized, patient-centered model of care for drug-resistanttuberculosis in a high HIV prevalent setting improves patient care. (readmore) * Scale-up of HIV treatment can lead to a significant impact onpopulation-level mortality due to all causes. (readmore) However, success depends on continued international donor support and accessto affordable and effective medicines. Amid the tremendous successes inscaling up access to AIDS care and treatment in developing countries, UNAIDSreports a stalling of both commitments and disbursements for global AIDS in2009. In 2009, donor governments provided $7.6 billion compared with $7.7billion disbursed in 2008. This reversed annual significant increases indonor support since 2002. (seechart)To ensure access to affordable and effective medicines, a pro-public healthUS trade policy is key. Access to more advanced HIV/AIDS regimens arefacing a treatment timebomb. Will newer medicines be available topatients when they need them? (readmore)Science and forward-looking policy clearly direct the way forward: earlier treatment initiation on better medicines and a continued rapidscale-up. Treatment closer to patients. Additional resources tosupport patient needs – rather than mere cost savings. And, importantly,the creation of an enabling policy framework: bringing drug costs downthrough the use of TRIPS flexibilities and innovative mechanisms like aneffective patent pool for affordable AIDS medicines; creating sustainablefinancing for HIV/AIDS through such mechanisms as a financial transaction tax;and innovation and access to make point-of-care diagnostic tests available indeveloping countries. We invite you to join our call for international donors and developingcountries to not turn back on people living with HIV. We need continuedincreased funding for both multilateral and bilateral mechanisms,patient-centered efficiencies, better policies, and science and medicineprioritized and integrated into funding decisions. See MSF’s new report, TenConsequences of AIDS Treatment Delayed, Deferred, or Denied, formore information. Sincerely,EmiEmi MacLeanCampaign for Access to Essential MedicinesDoctors without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)333 7th AvenueNew York, NY 10001Ph: 917 331 9077emi.maclean@... To unsubscribe, clickhere