Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8598
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: news
Harrison V.
Merck reduces HIV drug prices in least developed countries
Pharmaceutical Business Review 2007 Feb 16
http://web.archive.org/web/20070219074424/http://www.pharmaceutical-business-review.com/article_news.asp?guid=A79DC13D-4BD3-4DB7-990F-5498B1A59CD0
Full text:
Merck & Co. has said it is reducing the price of its HIV/AIDS medicine, Stocrin, in the least developed countries and those hardest hit by the epidemic.
The price of the 600mg formulation of Stocrin has been reduced by 14.5% to $0.65 per day, or $237.25 per patient per year from $0.76 per day, for countries in the low category of the Human Development Index (HDI) and in medium HDI countries with an adult HIV prevalence of 1% or greater.
In medium HDI countries with an adult HIV prevalence of less than 1%, the price of the 600mg formulation of Stocrin will be reduced by 5.8% to $1.80 per day, or $657.00 per patient per year from $1.91 per day.
Merck said it is lowering the price of the 600mg formulation of Stocrin because of improved manufacturing processes. The prices of other formulations of Stocrin and Merck’s other HIV/AIDS medicine, Crixivan, remain unchanged.
Stocrin in combination with other antiretroviral agents is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. This indication is based on two clinical trials that demonstrated prolonged suppression of HIV-RNA.
