s african decision to end nevirapine monotherapy condemned

PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 458 - 31 Jul 2004

S African decision to endnevirapine monotherapy

condemnedThe decision to no longer use nevirapine as

monotherapy for the prevention of mother-to-childtransmission (MTCT) of HIV-infections, taken by theMedicines Control Council (MCC) in South Africa, hasbeen condemned by HIV/AIDS activists and researchersin the country.1

Announcing the decision at the 15th InternationalAIDS Conference held in Bangkok, Thailand, in July, theMCC says it no longer recommends the use ofnevirapine for preventing MTCT of HIV infections sincethe risk:benefit profile of the drug has changed. Instead,nevirapine should now only be used in combinationwith zidovudine, according to the MCC’s registrarPrecious Matsoso.

Strong concern about the MCC’s decision has alsobeen voiced in a joint statement by the

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS(UNAIDS), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and theElizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.2

The organisations have also reiterated their supportfor the new WHO guidelines on the prevention of MTCTof HIV infections, the key recommendations of whichinclude the use of single-dose nevirapine in bothmothers and infants.*

* see Current Issues section, this issue, p4; 809037463

1. South Africa ends nevirapine monotherapy in HIV PMTCT, due to resistanceissues. Marketletter 31: 15, No. 29, 19 Jul 2004.

2. UNAIDS. Unaids, Unicef and Egpaf Underscore Importance of Keeping Single-dose Nevirapine Available to Hiv-positive Mothers. Media Release : 14 Jul2004. Available from: URL: http://www.unaids.org.

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 31 Jul 2004 No. 4581173-5503/10/0458-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved