Affordability and availability of AIDS drugs in poor (developing) countries - Essay Example

?Affordability and Availability of AIDS Drugs in Poor (Developing) Countries Introduction The wide disparity between world economies has posed problems regarding the applicability of humane measures in certain geographical areas of the world where economic resources are scarce, if not paltry. Affordability of anti AIDS drugs has been a consistent problem in some of the poorest regions of the world, especially Sub-Saharan Africa. Financial resources with international organizations like the WHO (World Health Organization) and other UN (United Nations) bodies are scarce and the organization is unable to provide the necessary drugs to the ailing millions despite its best efforts. The disease AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) has acquired monstrous proportions during the last few decades killing more humans in terms of numbers than those killed in the Nazi holocaust (Binswanger, 2003). In Africa alone, by the year 2002, 20.4 million people had died of AIDS and the figure for infected persons stood at a whopping 29.4 million. The world economic order has witnessed a radical shift in the last few years, with even the developed countries being forced to restrict their financial resources. Under the circumstances, the question remains whether sufferers of the disease in poor as well as developing countries can ever even begin to imagine of being able to afford treatment for AIDS? Further complications arose in history due to the monopoly of pharmaceutical companies which exclusively manufacture anti-retroviral drugs and fix their own prices, which are usually exorbitant. Steps taken worldwide by charitable organizations’ and the emergence of generic AIDS drug manufacturers in recent years has reduced the cost of therapy up to some extent, but the yawning gap between the availability and affordability still exists in most poor countries of the world. It remains to be seen whether in the current downtrend in world economy, whether this gap will ever be plugged or not? It therefore becomes imperative that developed nations should provide AIDS treatments to people in developing countries free of charge. The following reasons justify the appropriateness of this measure. Counter Argument From the evidence available so far, it seems that it will be impossible to meet the requirements of all the people suffering from AIDS in the word due to the single simple fact that the average per capita income in some of the countries in which majority of AIDS patients live falls much below the average annual cost of the currently recommended regimen of AIDS therapy known as HAART (Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy) (Borrell, 2011). The present economic crisis is a deterrent which prevents developed countries from sending adequate financial aid as even countries like US, UK and the rest of the developed world is struggling with internal economic crunch, preventing adequate healthcare benefits’ to their own citizens. However, there are ways and means to overcome such obstacles and the entire humanity needs to prevent the scourge of AIDS on a global scale and at a war footing. Reduction of prices of drugs is one way of assisting the sufferers in poor countries. Borrell (2011) has explored the impact of patent rights and monopolies of major pharmaceutical giants on the availability and affordability of therapeutic drug regimens in poor and developed countries. He believes that the clever pricing policies of the pharmacological giants are responsible for making the drugs unaffordable. Their double pronged pricing strategy includes a ‘skimming strategy’ in which novel drug molecules are introduced in the therapeutic arena at a higher price, reducing the price gradually once it established a strong market foothold. Contrary to this, there is the ‘penetration strategy’ wherein the opposite holds true, i.e. there is a low price at the introduction of the drug, and it is gradually increased after gaining popularity, in order to maximize profit (Borrell, 2011). In his study, the author has investigated the impact of market exclusivity of the currently available ‘cocktail’ of drugs by analyzing the sales data of these drugs in poor and middle income countries from the year 1995 to 2000. The author believes that patent regimes and drugs obtained from companies which originally developed them are the two factors contributing to making the therapy unaffordable in poor countries (Borrell, 2011). Activist pressure, competition to the pharmaceutical giants from the companies offering generic brands of drugs and direct negotiation of world powers and organizations with the pharmaceutical companies have however, dramatically decreased the cost of treatment over the last decade (avert). Pharmaceutical companies have also played their part by agreeing to reduce the prices of anti AIDS drugs especially in poorer countries. This happened after the lawsuit filed by Merck Company which prided itself in its humanitarian efforts worldwide was dropped by the company mangers against other third world companies which offered low priced drug cocktails for African people (nyu, 2003). Thus reduction of prices in poor and developing countries has assisted the AIDS control programs in many countries There has also been a persistent relationship between the drug prices and the per capita income in the poor/developing countries (Borrell, 2011). When the annual income of an average person is not enough to meet even the basic needs of food, shelter and clothing, how a sufferer can even dream about affording the expensive antiretroviral drugs. This further substantiates the reason for a charitable effort from developing countries. The availability of generic drugs from third world countries and lowering of prices by big pharmaceutical industries has solved this problem up to some extent, but more needs to be done. Political, humanitarian, religious and charitable organizations have been protesting the imposition of high prices for AIDS drugs by the pharmaceutical giants, especially in Sub Saharan Africa since long but at the same time protection of patent rights is an issue which is vital for the very existence of such companies which are basically business oriented. Disseminating ant AIDS drugs at below manufacturing prices is impossible for private companies. Contributions from charitable organizations’ is one of the solutions, where people contribute to the anti AIDS campaigns and build up funds to finance treatment of patients who cannot otherwise afford it from their own resources. AIDS sufferers themselves realized the importance of this factor and helped build the AIDS Empowerment and Treatment International (AIDSETI) organization which now has many branches in poor countries (Binswanger, 2003). The author believes that it is the will that is lacking both in people as well as local governments who fail to implement programs for providing financial aid to the suffering masses when faced with the financial improbability of the task (Binswanger, 2003).. The United Nations sponsored UNAIDS program launched in 1996 has played a significant role in reducing the cost of treatment in poor countries by launching education programs for the prevention of disease and also mobilizing material and financial aid to the poor (Fleshman, 2001). The financial chasm between the developed and the developing world will continue to exist and people from poorer countries may not get the latest drugs and treatment for AIDS. But efforts of world organizations, governments and object oriented self help groups combined with the availability of generic brands of antiretroviral drugs has increased the availability of therapeutic drugs to the affected populations in poorer countries. UNAIDS and AIDSETI are two such programs which have shown a high degree of success in recent years. But as long as the spread of disease is not checked by initiating preventive programs, total therapy for each individual patient will continue to be a pipe dream until a miracle drug or vaccine against AIDS is discovered. Affordability of drugs is a function of per capita income and in some countries when the total annual income is less than the total annual cost of the ‘cocktail’ of drugs as recommended by experts for the HAART regimen, it is absurd to think that an AIDS patient will be able to afford the treatment. The wide chasm between the economically well-off patient in a developed country and his or her poor cousin in a poor/developing country will continue to exist with the former capable of expecting a better life expectancy. References AIDS, Drug prices and Generic Drugs, Article Retrieved May 2, 2011 http://www.avert.org/generic.htm Borrell, Joan-Ramon(2007) 'Pricing and patents of HIV/AIDS drugs in developing countries', Applied Economics, 39: 4, 505-518 Binswanger, H.P. (2003) 'Willingness to pay for AIDS treatment: myths and realities', The Lancet, 362, 1152-53 Fleshman, M. (2001) 'Drug price plunge energizes AIDS fight', African Recovery, 15, 1-2. Retrieved May 2, 2011 http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol15no1/151aids1.htm Merck, AIDS, and Africa, pdf Article, retrieved May 2, 2011 http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~lcabral/teaching/aids.pdf Read More