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Speedy US approval of cheap AIDS drugs expected


	Tuesday 8 March 2005

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AFRICA: Speedy US approval of cheap AIDS drugs expected

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

JOHANNESBURG, 3 March (PLUSNEWS) - A call by the US administration for the speedy clearance of more generic drugs could see a lot more antiretrovirals (ARVs) included in President Bush's $15 billion global anti-AIDS programme.

"We have put a lot of effort into hand-holding with generic companies around the world to encourage them, so my guess is in the next few months we will see more drugs included. The first company to apply was approved ... and we expect more," Randall Tobias, coordinator of the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), said in a statement.

In a move that allows PEPFAR recipients to use the cheaper versions of branded drugs, the Bush Administration last year announced a fast-track scheme for generic ARVs to get US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for safety and quality.

South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare, recently became the first company to win FDA regulatory approval for its generic anti-AIDS drugs.

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MORE NEWS BRIEFS

Recent AFRICA Reports

AIDS death toll could reach 80 million by 2025, says new report, ?4/Mar/05

AIDS drug tender announcement brings glimmer of hope for HIV-positive people , ?4/Mar/05

IRIN PlusNews Weekly Issue 223, 4 March 2005, ?4/Mar/05

Capacity shortfalls undermine roll-out, ?3/Mar/05

IRIN PlusNews Weekly Issue 222, 25 February 2005, ?25/Feb/05

Links

Le portail d'informations générales de la Côte d’Ivoire

Sida Info Services

Le Fonds mondial de lutte contre le SIDA, la tuberculose et le paludisme

Le Réseau Afrique 2000

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria

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