New HIV Drugs Raise Funding Specter In UK

28 October 1996

As reported in the Marketletter last week, Roche's Invirase (saquinavir) has become the second HIV protease inhibitor to be made available on the UK market after Abbott's Norvir (ritonavir), and has prompted concern over the level of funding for HIV drug treatment under the National Health Service.

At a press conference to publicize the launch, David Hawkins, consultant in HIV and genitourinary medicine at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, said that the UK cut funding for HIV treatment by 80% last year, and centers which deal with AIDS sufferers are currently only funded for antiretroviral monotherapy. This clearly flies in the face of many studies which have shown the benefits of giving antiretroviral drugs in combination.

The advent of new drugs such as the protease inhibitors, and the positive results of clinical trials looking at their use in combination with the older nucleoside analogs, has led to a situation in which more HIV-positive individuals are opting for drug treatment for their condition, noted Dr Hawkins. And although the epidemic in homosexuals appears to be on the decline as a result of behavioral changes, heterosexual transmission is rising, and this will increase the number of people seeking treatment still further.

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