PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 423 - 2 Aug 2003

EU to grant $US1b to global fund,pharma firms donate to US ADAPs

A European contribution of $US1 billion has beenguaranteed for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2004 by the president of theEuropean Commission Romano Prodi, says the BMJ.1However, Mr Prodi has cautioned that the EUsometimes works slowly, owing to its 15 memberstates.

Meanwhile, US state AIDS Drug AssistanceProgrammes (ADAPs) will benefit from donations ofmore than $US50 million from seven antiretroviralmanufacturers,* as part of efforts by the companies toovercome criticism from AIDS activists, reports Scrip.2

Negotiations with Bristol-Myers Squibb are ongoing,according to the programmes’ coordinators. Discountsof 10–15% on antiretrovirals are provided to the ADAPsby all the companies, and GSK is to provide an additionalpackage of cash and credits worth $US20 million toassist with shortening patient waiting lists and avoidingnew restrictions. Pfizer also aims to provideantiretrovirals free of charge or at greatly reduced pricesuntil 31 March 2005, and to continue price neutrality onits new 625mg formulation of ‘Viracept’ relative toearlier formulations. However, Pfizer is not makingknown the precise amount of its donation, which will bedetermined according to each state’s individual needs.* Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK),Gilead Sciences, Pfizer and Merck & Co

1. Dorozynski A. EU commits $1bn to global fund. BMJ 327: 182, 26 Jul 2003.2. Seven firms give $50 mill to US AIDS drug programmes. Scrip : 15, No. 2867,

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 2 Aug 2003 No. 4231173-5503/10/0423-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved