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Contributions from
the Column
Facts and trends
World Bank responds to the Extractive Industries Review
German Development Budget 2005
BMZ: No money for Faisabad team
KfW banking group increases development loans
WHO withdraws recommendation for two generic AIDS drugs
“Village Phone” honoured
Strengthening small private water suppliers in the South
Stiglitz: “Doha is not a development round”
8-9/2004
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WHO withdraws recommendation for two generic AIDS drugs
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has removed two copycat (generic) AIDS drugs from its list of prequalified products. The two medicines concerned are produced by the Indian drug manufacturer Cipla Ltd., an important supplier of inexpensive generic drugs. According to the WHO, it has not been proven that the Cipla products reach the same concentration in the bloodstream of patients as the patented brand-name drugs (bioequivalence), as had been claimed by Cipla in its product dossier for the WHO. However, a check by the WHO revealed that the test results do not proof bioequivalence. As a result, the WHO withdrew their recommendation of the products. The WHO insists on the criteria of bioequivalence for medicines indicated for serious conditions such as AIDS to assure therapeutic response. There have been quarrels at an international level for some time over the use of generic drugs to treat AIDS. The USA does not want to earmark any aid funds for the purchase of these cheap medicines because their safety and effectiveness have not been proven. Organisations such as Doctors Without Borders accuse the Bush administration of simply wanting to protect the US pharmaceutical industry from competition and point to the WHO’s quality certificates for generic drugs. (ell)
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