South African Medical Journal (Jan 2017)
Cutting the cost of South African antiretroviral therapy using newer, safer drugs
- W F Venter,
- B Kaiser,
- Y Pillay,
- F Conradie,
- G B Gomez,
- P Clayden,
- M Matsolo,
- C Amole,
- L Rutter,
- F Abdullah,
- E J Abrams,
- C P Casas,
- M Barnhart,
- A Pillay,
- A Pozniak,
- A Hill,
- L Fairlie,
- M Boffito,
- M Moorhouse,
- M Chersich,
- C Serenata,
- J Quevedo,
- G Loots
Affiliations
- W F Venter
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- B Kaiser
- Formerly UNITAID, Geneva, Switzerland
- Y Pillay
- HIV/AIDS, TB and Maternal, Child and Women’s Health in the South African National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa
- F Conradie
- Clinical HIV Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand and Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, Johannesburg, South Africa
- G B Gomez
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Department of Global Health, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- P Clayden
- HIV i-Base, London, UK
- M Matsolo
- Treatment Action Campaign, Cape Town, South Africa
- C Amole
- Clinton Health Access Initiative, New York, USA
- L Rutter
- Treatment Action Campaign, Cape Town, South Africa
- F Abdullah
- South African National AIDS Council, Pretoria, South Africa
- E J Abrams
- International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP), Mailman School of Public Health and College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA
- C P Casas
- UNITAID, Geneva, Switzerland
- M Barnhart
- USAID Bureau for Global Health, Washington, DC, USA
- A Pillay
- Health Regulation and Compliance, South African National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa
- A Pozniak
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and St Stephens AIDS Trust, London, UK
- A Hill
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and St Stephens AIDS Trust, London, UK
- L Fairlie
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- M Boffito
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and St Stephens AIDS Trust, London, UK
- M Moorhouse
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- M Chersich
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- C Serenata
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- J Quevedo
- Clinton Health Access Initiative, New York, USA
- G Loots
- South African Department of Science and Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
- Journal volume & issue
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Vol. 107,
no. 1
pp. 28 – 30
Abstract
Antiretrovirals are a significant cost driver for HIV programmes. Current first-line regimens have performed well in real-life programmes, but have a low barrier to virological resistance and still carry toxicity that limits adherence. New drug developments may mean that we have access to safer, more robust and cheaper regimens, but only if the appropriate clinical trials are conducted. We briefly discuss these trials, and demonstrate the large cost savings to the South African HIV programme if these are successful.
