Aid agencies meet with Cipla over AIDS drugs

Officials of the World Health Organization, the United Nations jointaction program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the European Commission and Medecins sans Frontieres have met with Indian generic drugmaker Cipla to discuss its offer to supply HIV/AIDS drug treatments at heavily-discounted prices (Marketletters passim).

The meeting was held so that the UN agencies could clarify a range of issues relating to Cipla's offer. Information supplied by Cipla will be evaluated to see how the offer can be included in the information being made available by the UN to interested governments and nongovernmental organizations through its Accelerated Access Initiative, said a WHO statement.

The UN also says it has identified, through a public call for Expressions of Interest to makers of HIV-related pharmaceuticals and diagnostic equipment, 34 suppliers of HIV-related medicines and diagnostics, 29 of which are from the generics industry. An analysis of these offers will be made public in mid-year, and Cipla's offer will be included in this analysis, it says.