DR-TB drugs under the microscope: sources and prices of medicines
A joint Union/MSF publication providing transparent information on prices and quality-assured sources for DR-TB medicines, as well as a summary of the challenges still limiting their access to a broader number of patients.
The Union and Médecins Sans Frontières disseminated the second edition of their guide DR-TB drugs under the microscope: sources and prices of medicines at the recent Union World Conference in Kuala Lumpur. They received very positive feedback from national TB programme representatives, agencies, activists and others who welcomed its transparent information on prices and quality-assured sources for drug-resistant TB medicines. The guide also includes a summary of the challenges limiting access to a broader number of patients.
Currently in English, this update version of the 2011 guide is being translated into French, Spanish and Russian. Plans are underway for a 2013 edition as well.
Christophe Perrin, pharmacist for The Union, points out in the next five to ten years, old molecules will still represent most of the DR-TB medicines available worldwide, while new ones make their way through the clinical development pipeline to patients.
"This will make it even more complicated for many of those involved in drug-resistant TB care to understand how and where to safely purchase these medicines at the best price," he says.
'DR-TB drugs under the microscope' fills a gap by offering transparent information on:
• the various roadblocks to accessing the various DR-TB medicines and possible ways forward
• quality-assured sources
• pricing
It provides data useful to the wide range of drug-resistant TB stakeholders, similar to the way the 'Untangling the web' provides information to HIV/AIDs stakeholders.
Download the guide at no charge:http://www.theunion.org/index.php/en/resources/technical-publications/item/2266-dr-tb-drugs-under-the-microscope
Source: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
