Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - Friday, December 20, 2002
Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
Under a programme jointly supported by the government and the Global Aids Fund, some 13,000 HIV/Aids carriers at 400 hospitals nationwide will have their health monitored after being given GPO-Vir, said Charal Trinvuthipong, of the Disease Control Department.
The drug is a combination of the anti-retrovirals Navirapine, Starvudine and Lamivudine, and has been produced by the GPO since April, he said.
If the trials proved successful, the GPO planned to manufacture 15 million tablets per year, at a cost of 20 baht per tablet.
The ministry was hoping to expand distribution of the drug to 800 hospitals over the next two years under a programme to be jointly carried out with the Mental Health Department, which would provide counselling to patients, Dr Charal said.
GPO chief Thongchai Thavichachart said the drug could be given to patients without resistances to drugs for up to seven years, if taken as directed.
Deviations from the recommended dosage could reduce the drug's effectiveness to two years, he said.
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