Excerpt from “Toward HIV Treatment on Demand for All: Closing the Gap Between Science and Policy.” Health GAP Global Policy Analysis. December 2015.
High price of newer, improved medicines: While the price of many antiretroviral medicines has decreased significantly over the past 15 years, trade and intellectual property rights barriers inhibit affordable access to newer, more effective medicines. Side effects of many antiretroviral medicines can be a hindrance in adhering to treatment and starting treatment early may exacerbate this challenge. Combination regimens containing the least toxic and most effective medicines are unavailable in many countries due to their higher cost. This problem is especially acute in middle-income countries, which are excluded from voluntary licenses and price discounts. Overcoming patent and other IP monopolies and driving down the cost of medicines through robust generic competition is urgently needed.
