AEGiS-13IAC: Generic production of HIV-AIDS-related drugs in Thailand.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Generic production of HIV-AIDS-related drugs in Thailand.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:22 (abstract no.. LbOr21)

Kraisintu K
Government Pharmaceutical Organization, Bangkok, Thailand. Fax: +662-2462134, E-mail: krisana@mozart.inet.co.th.

ISSUES: Thailand, out of a total population of 61 million, about one million people are infected with HIV. There are 30,000 to 50,000 new AIDS cases each year. It is estimated that about 5 % of HIV infected people can get access to anti-retroviral double therapy and very few get treatment with three drugs which costs about US$ 675 per month whereas a minimum salary is less than US$ 120 per month.

DESCRIPTION: Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) is a state enterprise under Ministry of Public Health. We manufacture more than 400 items of pharmaceuticals with special emphasis on drugs in the National List of Essential Drugs and also biological products. We realise that one of the factors that is critical for securing access to anti-retroviral drug is affordable prices. Drugs should be available at affordable prices so that they fall within the financial reach of health services and of individuals in need. Research and Development Institute of GPO has been working on the formulation development and bioequivalence studies of HIV-AIDS-related drugs since 1992.

CONCLUSION: Attempts to reduce the price from 5 to more than 10 times of its original price depending on the sources of raw materials is now possible due to GPO?s generic production of these drugs. Anti-retroviral drugs currently available are Zidovudine capsules, Didanosine powder forms and Stavudine capsules. Drugs for opportunistic infections are Fluconazole capsules, Ketoconazole tablets, Rifampicin capsules, Ethambutol tablets, Co-trimoxazole tablets and Isoniazid tablets. Many more drugs of those categories are currently under our investigation.

Keywords: AEGIS, Anti-HIV Agents, HIV Infections, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, Thailand, Stavudine, Organizations, Zidovudine, Didanosine, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Research, Drugs, Generic, Federal Government, Costs and Cost Analysis, economics, AIDS
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