South Africa, Colombia and others are fighting drugmakers over access to TB and HIV drugs

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South Africa, Colombia, and other nations that faced challenges in securing COVID-19 vaccines are now adopting a more assertive stance in dealing with pharmaceutical companies. They are pushing back against policies that restrict access to affordable treatments for tuberculosis (TB) and HIV, a move that experts believe could lead to increased efforts to make life-saving medications more widely accessible.

This shift in approach comes after the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the stark disparity in vaccine distribution, with wealthy nations securing the majority of vaccines while leaving limited access for poorer countries. Now, these less affluent nations are seeking to become more self-reliant in ensuring access to essential medicines.

One specific target of this effort is the drug bedaquiline, which is crucial for treating drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis, particularly in South Africa, where TB remains a leading cause of death. Activists have been protesting against Johnson & Johnson’s attempts to protect its patent on this drug. After petitions and pressure from TB patients and governments like India, Belarus, and Ukraine, J&J eventually agreed to drop its patent in more than 130 countries, allowing generic manufacturers to produce the drug.

Colombia has also taken a bold step by declaring a compulsory license for the HIV drug dolutegravir, bypassing the patent holder, Viiv Healthcare. This decision was influenced by over 120 advocacy groups urging the Colombian government to expand access to this World Health Organization-recommended drug.

However, while these actions represent progress, experts emphasize that much more needs to be done to enable poorer countries to manufacture their own medicines and vaccines. Inadequate health systems and intellectual property laws that favor pharmaceutical companies remain significant challenges.

South Africa, for example, lacks clear laws allowing legal challenges to patents or patent extensions, making it easier for companies to maintain monopolies. While progress is being made, experts believe that pharmaceutical companies may be driven more by financial considerations than activism when it comes to dropping certain patents.

The World Health Organization’s recent report on TB underscores the urgency of addressing these issues, with over 10 million people falling ill with TB in the past year and 1.3 million deaths. TB has become the deadliest infectious disease globally, and it is now the leading cause of death among people with HIV.

Advocates like South African doctor Zolelwa Sifumba emphasize the importance of ensuring that essential medicines like bedaquiline are affordable for lower and middle-income countries. The burden of diseases like TB falls heavily on these nations, highlighting the necessity of equitable access to life-saving treatments.

In summary, South Africa, Colombia, and other countries are challenging pharmaceutical companies to ensure wider access to essential medicines. While progress is being made, there are still significant obstacles to overcome in achieving equitable access to treatments and vaccines for all.

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More about Access to Medications

• Access to Medications for TB and HIV: The source text for this discussion on pharmaceutical companies and access to TB and HIV drugs.
• World Health Organization (WHO): WHO’s involvement and recommendations regarding the access to essential medicines and global health issues.
• Doctors Without Borders: Insights from this organization on healthcare challenges, including access to medicines in developing countries.
• Northeastern University: Expert opinion from Brook Baker on treatment-access issues.
• Public Citizen: Information on advocacy efforts, including the declaration of a compulsory license for the HIV drug dolutegravir in Colombia.
• University of KwaZulu-Natal: Insights from Andy Gray regarding pharmaceutical companies’ decisions related to patents and drug pricing.