PUBLIC PRESSURE across the world may have prompted one of the world's biggest pharma multinationals to enter into an agreement with a non-profit organisation that will source and supply generic versions of its topline tuberculosis (TB) drug in dozens of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) fighting this disease that kills two million people annually. It is a new kind of pact that Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has finally concluded with the UN-backed Stop TB Partnership, whose Global Drug Facility (GDF) purchases and makes TB drugs available at more affordable rates to a host of countries struggling with a heavy load of TB.
This is a significant development, because J&J's bedaquiline-it is on the World Health Organization (WHO)'s list of essential medicines combats the lethal multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB), which afflicts more of the poor and those with HIV than others. Over the past two years, close to half a million new cases have been registered annually. So there was a celebration of sorts when the deal was announced on July 13, allowing GDF “to tender, procure, and supply generic versions of SIRTURO® (bedaquiline) for the majority of lowand middle-income countries, including countries where patents remain in effect." But, this deal is not the best way to fight the scourge of TB, because it excludes far too many countries.
Denne historien er fra August 01, 2023-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra August 01, 2023-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
