News headlines

A selection of news stories which have appeared since 24 July 2003.

WHO promises 3 million on treatment by 2005, but how?

Upon taking office last Monday, the new WHO Director General, Dr Lee Jong-Wook promised that WHO would prioritise HIV. In particular he promised a global plan by December 1 2003 for bringing antiretroviral treatment to 3 million by the end of 2005. WHO has endorsed a target of 3 million on HIV treatment by 2005. According to insiders, the organisations credibility as an international public health body is at stake with donors if it does not show significant movement towards this target by the time of next years Bangkok AIDS conference.

WHO plans global ARV purchasing system by end of 2003

The World Health Organization plans to unveil a bulk purchasing and procurement system for antiretrovirals by December 1, according to a report this week in the Boston Globe. The new model will be based on the Global TB Drug

South African AIDS Conference opens with calls for treatment but no clear answers

More than 2,200 doctors, researchers and community activists have gathered in Durban for the first national South African AIDS Conference which opened on Sunday evening with speeches from Vice President Jacob Zuma and Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. It does seem as though the South African government is edging towards announcing a programme to provide antiretrovirals (ARVs) in the public sector, but many questions still remain as to the depth of their commitment to doing so.

South African HIV treatment to depend on generic drugs

After years of debate about the role of generic as against branded 'originator' versions of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), the way that South Africa will manage drug costs as it moves towards comprehensive access for HIV positive people who need them is becoming apparent. Large scale local production, compulsory licenses, and not-for-profit procurement systems are all serious options. It is almost certain that most of the treatment that will be given to people with HIV in South Africa will be with generic products.

South African drug agency questions use of nevirapine for mums to be

South Africas handling of the HIV crisis took a further surreal turn this week with the announcement that the countrys Medicines Control Council could withdraw approval for nevirapine to be used in MTCT prevention within 90 days. The MCC says that irregularities in data collection during the HIVNET 012 study in Uganda cast doubts on the efficacy of nevirapine in the prevention of mother to child HIV transmission.

South African doctors condemn nevirapine decision

Leading South African researchers Professors Jerry Coovadia and Salim Abdool Karim yesterday condemned the decision of the South African Medicines Control Council (MCC) to withdraw the license for use of nevirapine in prevention of mother to child transmission unless it receives new efficacy data within 90 days (reported here).

Nevirapine conflict eased - no South African ban, PMTCT programmes will continue

On the final day of the South African AIDS Conference in Durban, a full plenary session discussed the use and licensing of nevirapine for the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and brought some much-needed clarity to recent debates [as reported above].

Higher than recommended dose of nevirapine needed for HIV suppression in children

Nevirapine is generally safe and well tolerated by children according to a UK paper published in the August 15th edition of AIDS. However, investigators found that effective virological control was most likely to be achieved when children received a dose higher than that currently recommended by the drugs manufacturer.

HIV-negative kids of HIV-positive mums at risk of mitochondrial dysfunction

The HIV-negative infants of HIV-positive mothers, who took antiretroviral therapy to prevent vertical transmission of HIV, have a small risk of mitochondrial dysfunction according to French researchers.

Child survival strongly linked to maternal survival in Uganda

Child mortality goals are unlikely to be met in societies which fail to pay attention to the survival of HIV-positive mothers, according to findings from the Uganda General Population cohort published this month in AIDS.

Sexual transmission of HCV seen in Indian women with genital ulcers and men who have sex with men

Women who have had a history of genital ulcers and men who reported sex with other men were found to be at increased risk of being infected with hepatitis C virus through sex, according to a study conducted amongst Indian slum-dwellers published this week in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Thyroid function of HIV patients should be checked; low CD4 count and d4T implicated

HIV-infected individuals treated with d4T-containing HAART regimens, or with low CD4 cell counts are at increased risk of hypothyroidism, according to French investigators writing in the August 15th edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases, which is now available online.