China Distributes Free Second-Line Anti-HIV Drugs
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
China has begun distributing for free three anti-retroviral drugs as a second-line treatment for HIV patients. Two of the anti-HIV drugs are U.S.-made-Viread (tenofovir) by Gilead Sciences and Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) by Abbott Laboratories. The Ministry of Health also is providing free doses of U.K.-based GlaxoSmithKline's Epivir (lamivudine), also known as 3TC, and used with other drugs as part of a first-line treatment. All three drugs cost more than $1,700 a year, double and triple the cost of first-line drugs. Ministry officials said an increasing number of HIV patients are developing resistance to first-line drugs and those in a trial saw their symptoms decline after six months on the second-line drugs. (Click here for more