Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Wall Street Journal - September 7, 2001
Michael Waldholz, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
Last year, the company said it will provide its drug, Viramune, free of charge to countries for use in preventing transmission of HIV, the AIDS virus, from infected pregnant mothers to their children. Several major studies reported last year that a single tablet of Viramune administered to a woman just prior to giving birth, and a small dose of a syrup version of the drug given immediately to the newborn, can significantly reduce the risk of transmission to the child.
But until this summer, Boehringer-Ingelheim was frustrated that few countries or health programs took advantage of the offer. Under a plan developed this year by Axios International, a Dublin health-consulting firm, the company has set up an application-and-review process to organize the distribution of the supply of the drugs. Boehringer-Ingelheim officials said the new program addresses several major stumbling blocks that have impeded access to Viramune, as well as to other HIV drugs whose costs have dropped sharply in the past year.
In particular, Axios set up an application process that is open to both governments and to private nonprofit organizations that often run maternity programs within countries. Initially, the drugs were offered only to governments.
"We've developed a very quick and easy way, using the Internet and other means, for health programs to request the drug," said Joseph Saba, Axios's chief executive. Dr. Saba said some organizations have said such an application process would be cumbersome, but "it allows us to help determine how many mothers they can serve, and to overcome obstacles, such as import licenses and duties, that had been in the way."
Since earlier this summer, Boehringer-Ingelheim has shipped 18,600 doses to eight health programs in the Congo, Rwanda, Zambia, Uganda, Senegal and Zimbabwe. It expects to ship soon the remainder of the 50,000 doses to an additional seven centers in six more countries. Applications from several other programs, including some in South Africa, are under review. Under the application process centers must demonstrate that they are able to manage the logistics of getting the medicines to the patients who need them.
John Wecker, Boehringer-Ingelheim's HIV coordinator, said Boehringer-Ingelheim's offer of drugs at no cost is unlimited, and the only restriction is that providers make use of the Axios application process.
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