Attack on HIV/AIDS drug programs

A USA-based think-tank has criticized the destructive effects of massive drug donor programs against HIV/AIDS in developing countries. Jeremiah Norris, director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Science in Public Policy, wrote a letter to the Financial Times about the economic distortion caused by $36.0 billion of aid since 2004, in countries such as Zambia.

Among the problems Dr Norris identifies is the lack of accountability for patient outcomes. He claims that there are no, or inadequate, patient records to report HIV/AIDS suppression over time and no proper evaluation of drug resistance or co-morbidity.

By focussing on an arbitrary target of 10 million people prescribed antiretrovirals by 2010, which is unlikely to be met without massive increases in funding and infrastructure globally within the next two years, international agencies have failed to consider the consequences of up to 20% of patients requiring more expensive second-line therapies. Dr Norris has repeatedly warned about the drug resistance problem (Marketletters June 18 and September 3).