Money Needed for Antiretroviral Therapy Funding

The UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS), to be held June 8-10 in New York, will shape the future direction of the global HIV/AIDS response, say campaigners - all the more reason for member-nations to recommit to ART targets and funding.

“We are at a pivotal moment in terms of deciding what the commitment will be going forward,” said Anton Kerr, policy chief at the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. “HIV has been slipping off the political agenda and you’ve also had the financial crisis, so it’s crucial that UNGASS secures that high-level political will what will unlock money and commitment in the years to come.”

A new study by the US National Institutes of Health shows effective ART reduced the risk of transmitting HIV to an uninfected heterosexual partner by 96 percent, confirming earlier research. Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders’ reports that competition from generic drugmakers has lowered the price of the most commonly used ART by 99 percent — from $10,000 per patient per year to $67. Another key advancement is the introduction of simpler diagnostic tests that can be used in rural areas by minimally trained workers, DWB said.

“With the right policies in place, we could triple the number of people on treatment without tripling the costs. But if key donor governments don’t support a treatment target, they are sending a clear message that they do not intend to ever come to grips with this pandemic,” said Tido von Schoen-Angerer, executive director of DWB’s Access Campaign.

“Money that is invested now will save money in the longer term,” said Mara Kardas-Nelson, an access and innovation officer with DWB.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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