Indian pharma firms agree to cut prices of AIDS test

[Guest guest]

Indian pharma firms agree to cut prices of AIDS test

Dharam Shourie

New York, Jan 13 (PTI) Former US President Bill Clinton's foundation

has reached an agreement with eight pharmaceutical companies

worldwide, including India's Cipla and Ranbaxy, to drastically lower

the prices of AIDS tests and drugs.

Qualpro Diangostic and Strides Acrolab from India are also involved

in the deal.

" With more than one million people on treatment in developing

countries, we face a growing challenge to keep costs affordable as

we reach out to millions more in need, " Clinton said announcing the

agreement here yesterday.

Lauding the companies, Clinton said it would help hundreds of

thousands poor people in 50 developing countries across the

world. " The action of these companies is another important step in

the fight against HIV/AIDS, " he said.

As a result of their agreements with the Clinton Foundation,

countries will be able to reduce the cost of HIV diagnosis by 50 per

cent..

Cipla, Ranbaxy, Strides Arcolab and Aspen Pharmacare (South Africa),

which rely on supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients from

Matrix Laboratories (India), will offer the Anti-retroviral (ARV)

efavirenz for 240 dollars per patient per year, and Cipla will offer

the ARV abacavir for 447 dollars.

These prices represent savings of more than 30 per cent from current

market rates. The supply of efavirenz at $240 by Cipla and Ranbaxy

is conditional on certain volume thresholds; for smaller orders, a

surcharge may apply, the foundation said. PTI

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