Pfizer defends role in developing world

PHARMACEUTICAL GIANT Pfizer has defended its record in the provision of drugs to combat HIV/Aids in the developing world.

A letter in last week’s Irish Times from Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders said Pfizer’s Irish operations could be involved in a project which might save thousands of lives in the developing world through a new initiative just launched by Unitaid.

Unitaid was set up three years ago to purchase cheap drugs in the treatment of HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis. It is involved with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Unaids.

Unitaid wants a patent pool to allow companies make cheaper generic drugs to be used in the developing world.

It is setting up a scheme asking nine of the biggest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world to pool their research into new HIV/Aids drugs in return for a share of the royalties on any new drug, and has begun an internet campaign to lobby for this.

“We hope that Pfizer will take this opportunity to choose the lives of the poorest over the protection of their patents,” said the letter which was written by Médecins Sans Frontières’ head of office in Dublin, Sophie Chaix.

In response, Pfizer Ireland’s director of external affairs, Tara Delaney, said the company’s Irish operations had never been approached by Unitaid.

She said Pfizer, which announced a $68 billion (€45.5 billion) merger with Wyeth last week, was already providing HIV medicines at not-for-profit prices to both public patients and those treated by non- governmental organisations (NGOs) in 64 of the least developed countries.

She added that Pfizer had also granted eight voluntary licences for anti-retroviral (ARV) medicines at not-for-profit prices to African generic companies to enable them to manufacture these medicines more cheaply.

“We believe that our response is not only the right thing to do but makes good business sense,” she said.

In April, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer announced the creation of a company focused solely on research, development and commercialisation of HIV medicines in which GSK holds an 85 per cent stake and Pfizer a 15 per cent stake.

“This new company is committed to playing a full part in addressing the challenges of access by taking an innovative, responsible and, above all, sustainable approach,” Ms Delaney added.