Nearly one third of HIV / AIDS drugs are not up to standard

'Fake HIV drugs (ARV) have appeared in Hong Kong, since 2000 there have been counterfeit drugs in sub-Saharan African countries, China, Singapore and some countries in Southeast Asia. There are currently 10-35% of HIV treatment drugs that are not up to standard or sold illegally . The issue of ensuring the quality of HIV / AIDS treatment drugs is not only a separate matter of each country but also need consensus and concern of nations ".

(Photo: TTO)

This is the opinion of Dr. David Kuhi, Senior Technical Advisor for Pharmaceutical Management - The Rational Pharmaceutical Management Program (USAID) of the United States Agency for International Development in 'Prevention and Monitoring Conference and monitoring drug resistance and HIV treatment in Asia ', March 30, 2006 in Hanoi.

Due to the complex physical, chemical and pharmacological properties of antiviral drugs, HIV has pushed up costs and costs of drugs, too expensive compared to the income of many people, especially those infected with HIV / AIDS.

According to the calculation of health organizations: a person infected with HIV every year needs to use ARV drugs to inhibit HIV virus is 350 USD for treatment regimen of 1 drug; with regimens using 2 drugs, costing over $ 1,200. But according to clinical experts, HIV-infected people must use 3 new drugs effectively at the same time, the cost will be over $ 2,000 / year.

HIV-infected people must use drugs for the rest of their lives, so most patients, including many national governments, are not eligible to cover and meet the patient's needs. In addition, many countries due to the need to "overcome the" production of drugs, but the international testing system is too 'narrow' . has prompted them not to comply with regulations.

This is the reason why the market for HIV treatment pharmaceuticals is always "hot", so pharmaceutical companies and business people have put on the market the poor quality drugs and floating drugs of unknown origin even at the last time. are counterfeit drugs . leading to increasing drug resistance of HIV / AIDS patients in many countries.

From early 2006 to 2007, Vietnam implemented a research program on "Prevention, monitoring and monitoring of drug resistance and HIV treatment in Asia" by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City. , Nha Trang Pasteur Institute and Tay Nguyen Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology are deployed in areas.