The Medicines Control Council (MCC) is threatening to de-register Nevirapine unless further studies and appropriate documentation can show its efficacy in the prevention of mother to child transmisssion of HIV. Glenda Grey of the Peri-natal HIV Research Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital argues that enough evidence has already been presented.
Days before South Africa signed its outstanding agreement with the Global Fund to release money to projects in KwaZulu-Natal, a senior advisor in the Fund, Vinand Nantulya, explained that further delays would jeopardise the funds.
This week South Africa added three all-important signatures to the document authorising the Global Fund to release a multi-million Rand grant to combat AIDS, TB and Malaria. The recipients are the Enhanced Care Initiative in KwaZulu-Natal, loveLife and Soul City.
The future of the use of the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission drug, Nevirapine, as a single intervention administered to mother and baby during labour and at birth hangs in the balance.
The MCC says it is within its rights as a regulatory authority, just like America'€™s FDA, to demand access to all information collated during the Uganda HIVNET 012 study on the efficacy of Nevirapine in order to support the continued registration of the drug for PMTCT in South Africa.
The need for new and innovative ways to attract resources to the cash-strapped Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in developing nations was the subject of discussions at the one-day International Meeting to Support the Global Fund held in Paris, France, yesterday (Wed 16/07/03).
Telling people in the developing world about what the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria can do for their communities, is one of major challenges facing the organisation.
The death of a budding Johannesburg film-maker, Mpumi Njinge, due to AIDS in October last year left sadness and a deep void amongst his friends and family. On a personal level, Mpumi faced a double prejudice, not only was he living with HIV/AIDS, he was also gay. However, instead of the shame and silence that often accompanies HIV, Mpumi's death has brought his friends together to discuss the possibility of preventing further losses to AIDS.
What should happen when miners who are HIV positive are injured or die as a result of working underground?
In our last Living with AIDS slot we discussed how participants in the upcoming Phase One HIV vaccine trial - due to start in less than three months - would be protected against HIV infection during the trial.
The first human trial of HIV vaccines to be held in South Africa is due to start in the next two to three months.
Hopes of most developing countries of stemming the tide of AIDS, TB and Malaria have very little chance of becoming reality.
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