Section: Honduras
Published: 18 April, 2003
Abbott Announces Lower, but still over 400% Higher Price for Kaletra for the poorest countries in Latin America: Company Promises Heat Stable Formulation will be Available Soon
Amidst increasing pressure worldwide, last month Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Abbott Laboratories announced it had lowered the price of its important second line boosted protease inhibitor antiretroviral AIDS drug Kaletra to $2200 USD per patient per year in the following countries in Latin America:
Bolivia
Colombia
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Jamaica
Nicaragua
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
However, in Haiti, and 70 additional countries in Africa and Asia Abbott is selling Kaletra for $500 per patient per year.
There is considerable concern among physicians, government procurement specialists, health economists, Non-governmental Organizations, people living with AIDS, and activists living and working in the countries listed above that the new price of $2200 USD per year still leaves Kaletra costing more than ten times more than current commonly administered first line generic drug cocktails. Abbott’s pricing scheme still lethally punishes impoverished people living with AIDS living in the poorest countries in Latin America and governments with limited and already severely constrained health sector budgets.
Nonetheless, we would like governments, health ministries, and people living with AIDS to be aware of these recent price reductions for Kaletra, which apply to these selected countries within the region, and to also petition for further price reductions if needed, eliminate customs fees and import taxes, and ensure rapid registration and local regulatory approval processes of the new, easier to administer heat stable formulation, in order to improve access to these drugs for people living with AIDS needing them now in the region.
Agua Buena Human Rights Association
www.aguabuena.org
rastern@racsa.co.cr
eugene.schiff@gmail.com
aguabuenalp@racsa.co.cr
