HIV treatment costs 'set to rise' in India

A rush on patents for anti-HIV drugs could lead to an increase in the price of HIV/AIDS treatment in India, it has been warned.

Global pharmaceutical companies have begun to secure patents on a series of drugs used to treat HIV and conditions associated with the disease, the Economic Times reported.

As a result of the patent process, governments, HIV organisations and individuals are not able to access cheaper generic drugs, with patient groups already set to challenge the patent granted for Pfizer's drug Maraviroc.

"The company has not even registered the drug in India after getting marketing approval in the US in August. We will have to check the medical benefits of this drug and its market before deciding on the future course of action," one un-named non-governmental organisation official told the newspaper.

In response a Pfizer spokesperson said: "We are committed to bringing meaningful improvement to the lives of people living with and those at risk of HIV/AIDS through outreach programs that will enable access of innovative medicines to patients."

According to figures published by India's National AIDS Control Organisation, there are currently an estimated 2.5 million cases of the disease in the country.

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