If everything goes well, the day is not far when cheap and effective treatment for the deadly and incurable disease AIDS will be available to the common people. American pharmaceutical giant Gilead has developed a very effective antiretroviral Lenacapavir for HIV. This drug has been seen as a game-changer in the fight against HIV. It is given as a vaccine twice a year. But right now this drug is very expensive. It is out of the reach of the common man. Its two doses cost $ 40,000 (about Rs 33.5 lakh). Certainly, not everyone can use such an expensive drug. Currently, in many countries including America, France, Norway and Australia, patients have to spend more than $ 40,000 every year on the treatment of HIV.
Meanwhile, a good news is coming that scientists have estimated that the cost of HIV medicine can be reduced to some extent. At present, its cost, which is more than $ 40,000 per person per year, can be made for less than $ 40 (about Rs 3,300). Lenacapavir, an antiretroviral drug developed by American pharmaceutical giant Gilead, has been seen as a game-changer in the fight against HIV.
Initial trials have found that this vaccine is 100 percent effective in preventing HIV infection. It needs to be injected only twice a year.
Get this injection twice a year, you will not have 100% protection from AIDS and HIV
Andrew Hill, a researcher at the University of Liverpool in Britain, said that this vaccine is like a vaccination. This new research was presented by Andrew Hill at the International AIDS Conference held in Munich. The research looked at how much the cost of making the drug could be reduced if the drug manufacturer Gilead allowed the manufacture of cheap generic injections. According to the research, a year’s worth of medicine can be made for as little as $40, which is 1,000 times less than the current price.
Andrew Hill said that if this drug is given to people at high risk of getting infected with HIV – such as gay or bisexual people, sex workers, prisoners or young women especially in Africa, then it can basically stop HIV infection. With the help of this drug, we can actually control the epidemic.
According to the World Health Organisation, there were 1.3 million new HIV infections last year, while around 40 million people are living with the virus.
Andrew Hill said that an international team of researchers has proved similar estimates correct before. A decade ago, the team said that the cost of making Gilead’s hepatitis C drug, which was then $84,000 per patient, could be reduced to $100 if generic drugs were allowed. Hill said that now it costs only less than $40 to treat hepatitis C.
The new research was announced a day after UN AIDS chief Winnie Byanyima called on Gilead to make history by opening lenacapavir to the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool, which would allow generic drugs to be sold under license in low- and middle-income countries.
Tags: health news, hiv aids
FIRST PUBLISHED : July 23, 2024, 17:34 IST