WORLD AIDS DAY: FIONA ASKS FOR NEW DRUGS TO BE MADE AVALIABLE
December 1, 2006 12:00 AM
As the European Parliament marked World AIDS day, Fiona called on the Commission to make sure that new drugs are available in developing countries at affordable prices.
Over 39.5 million people at present are living with HIV and 4.3 million new infections were reported in 2006. In South Africa and Malawi, one in six patients will need to switch to newer drug combinations within three to five years.
In a speech during a plenary session in Parliament, Fiona said: "The knowledge that effective treatment is available is a key factor in encouraging people to be tested for HIV. However, the price of new, improved AIDS medicines remains too high. The Commission needs to persuade companies to register their newer drugs in developing countries and make them affordable. Otherwise, we will be back to square one. The drugs that still work will be unaffordable and donors will just be giving money to the pharmaceutical industry."
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