HIV Babies At Risk?
posted: 08/06/2010
The drug giant Bristol Myers Squibb seems about to shut down their factory in France that makes the only cheap HIV treatment drug that keeps up to 7,000 babies alive in the developing world. Bristol Myers Squibb’s chief executive Lamberto Andreotti has so far ignored a letter of protest from some of the board members of UNITAID – the part of the UN that aims to improve access to HIV treatments in poor countries, especially in Africa.
On their website UNITAID say
‘it is deeply concerned that the provision of a key paediatric AIDS medicine produced by Bristol Myers Squibb will be interrupted in June 2010 until at least April 2011. The medicine, didanosine 25 mg and 50 mg, is supplied by UNITAID through the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to between 4,000-7,000 infants in 40 countries. Interruption of treatment would seriously jeopardize these young children's survival.
UNITAID urges Bristol Myers Squibb to take all the necessary measures to ensure continued supply of quality, lifesaving didanosine 25 mg and 50 mg for the duration of its transition of its manufacturing site so as to avoid interruption of treatment for the children whose lives depend on it. UNITAID will continue to monitor the situation closely.’
Public Letter
Since the drug giant has not replied, UNITAID board members, representing non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and communities affected by HIV/AIDS of the Geneva-based organisation, have gone public with their complaint and plea.
This is what they say:
Dear Mr Andreotti,
We, the UNITAID board members representing NGOs, and Communities affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, are writing to you to express our deep concern that Bristol-Myers Squibb is to close a factory in France that manufactures a second line anti-retroviral medicine for children infected with HIV/AIDS who weigh less than 10 kg: buffered didanosine (ddI) in the 25 mg formulation.
Closing this factory means that 4,000 to 7,000 babies currently enrolled in treatment plans in developing countries through UNITAID could be left without the medicines they need. Didanosine is the last therapeutic option for these babies and without it they may die. We understand that closure of the plant will take place in June of this year, with no plans for resumption of production before April of 2011 at the earliest when a new plant is due to open. Therefore there is likely to be a shortage of approximately 15,000 packs of ddI 25 mg, across all UNITAID beneficiary countries between now and when production is expected to resume in April 2011. Currently, there is no alternative generic product that has been assessed by WHO and prequalified for use by UN agencies.
We urge you, as the Chief Executive Officer of BMS, a company that prides itself on its high standards of corporate responsibility, to respond urgently to our concerns, outlining the steps you will take to avoid any treatment interruption. We would also like your confirmation that a BMS plant will resume production of this vital medicine in 2011.
We look forward to hearing from you.
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