World AIDS Day Report: First supplies in the VIRAMUNE® donation program for developing countries

01-Dec-2000

The anti-HIV drug VIRAMUNE® (nevirapine) was given by Boehringer Ingelheim free of charge to representatives of the Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville) for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1. This African country is the first to benefit from Boehringer Ingelheim’s offer to provide VIRAMUNE® free of charge for a period of five years to developing countries for use in the prevention of MTCT. The WHO technical consultation group and UNAIDS had fully endorsed VIRAMUNE® as a safe and effective anti-retroviral treatment to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child on October 24, 2000 and warranted its use beyond pilot projects and research settings.

“We believe providing VIRAMUNE® to HIV-positive pregnant women in our country will significantly reduce the number of new infections we see every year in the Congo,” said Dr. Leon-Alfred Opimbat the Health Minister of the Republic of Congo. According to the Congolese government 100,000 adults and children were estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in the Congo at the end of 1999.

“Studies have demonstrated that VIRAMUNE® can fill a critical need in the developing world" said Prof. Rolf Krebs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We’re confident that our initiative will continue to increase access to this important drug and will have a considerable impact in the developing world.”

VIRAMUNE® had become more widely known after a publication in the June 17 issue of The Lancet indicated that anti-retroviral intervention can have a significant impact on the prevention of MTCT and that a single dose of VIRAMUNE® to mother-baby pairs is likely the most cost-effective, efficacious and most easily administered anti-retroviral agent for the prevention of HIV infection in new-borns.

Boehringer Ingelheim, health officials in the Congo and the French Croix Rouge (Red Cross) are working together to ensure the VIRAMUNE® MTCT regimen is properly implemented in the Republic of Congo. As a first step, the national government will administer the VIRAMUNE® MTCT regimen in eight hospitals - five in Brazzaville and three in Pointe Noire- in Congo. This effort will include implementation of HIV prevention campaigns, counselling initiatives for pregnant women and the establishment of new HIV test centres. The national government also will discuss with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Bank plans to acquire formula milk to prevent infection via breastfeeding and to outline necessary details so that they can participate in the "Accelerating Access Initiative" for chronic treatment.

The second country to receive VIRAMUNE® free of charge to prevent viral transmission from mother to child is Senegal. First shipment will be handed over to the Senegalese government on World Aids Day, Dec.1st.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/431/world-aids-day-report-first-supplies-in-the-viramune-donation-program-for-developing-countries.html