South Africa Asked to Allow Generics for AbbVie HIV Drug
- Medecins Sans Frontieres says Lopinavir supply needs backup
- South Africa says shortages of HIV drug have been addressed
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South Africa’s government is looking into a recommendation by medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres to allow generic versions of HIV drug Lopinavir after shortages resulted in interruptions to some treatments in the country with the highest number of infections by the virus.
A rise in patient numbers in April and capacity constraints at the European plant of U.S. Lopinavir supplier AbbVie Inc. led to reduced supplies of the drug in South Africa, according to Gavin Steel, the head of industrywide procurement at the Department of Health. The Chicago, Illinois-based company has since resolved the issue, he said.