Industry Accelerating Access Initiative (AAI)

The Accelerating Access Initiative (AAI), begun in 2000, is a partnership between UNAIDS, the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Bank and nine research-based pharmaceutical companies (Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Gilead Sciences, Merck & Co. Inc., Pfizer, Roche and Tibotec (an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson). Merck is a founding member of the AAI and continues to be among its most active members. Participants in AAI are committed to working with governments, international organizations and other stakeholders to find ways to broaden access, whilst ensuring rational, safe and effective use of medicines for HIV and AIDS.

The strong commitment of the AAI companies to improve access to treatment has manifested itself in many innovative ways. All AAI companies have individual programs through which they provide their own antiretroviral medicines at more affordable prices in developing countries. Some AAI companies have also expanded manufacturing capacity to meet product demand in the developing world. Individual AAI companies are also taking other actions to increase the overall availability of ARVs, including the granting of voluntary licenses or non-assert declarations, contract manufacturing with generic manufacturers and technology transfer agreements. These efforts are delivering results. As of September 30, 2008, some 773,803 patients in developing countries were estimated to be taking one or more medicines supplied at preferential prices by an AAI company. Although this figure is a decrease from 2007, it is important to recognize that the number of patients in developing countries treated with generic ARVs – including those through cooperative efforts with AAI companies – has increased significantly.

AAI companies also recognize that expanded access to medications requires a collaborative approach with governments, NGOs, multilateral organizations, and other public and private bodies. Many AAI companies are involved in initiatives to strengthen health care systems, streamline product registrations, and conduct clinical studies in developing countries. AAI companies also continue to invest significantly in research and development of new medications – including pediatric formulations – and diagnostics, to help combat the global HIV and AIDS pandemic.

Other HIV and AIDS Programs and Partnerships

Merck’s HIV and AIDS Grants Program

From 1997 through 2008 The Merck HIV and AIDS Grants Program had been designed to provide funding support to qualified nonprofit organizations in carrying out initiatives that are consistent with Merck’s strategic priorities and help achieve key Program goals:

• Promoting access to HIV prevention, care and treatment.
• Strengthening health care capacity and system infrastructure to support the scale-up and delivery of quality HIV and AIDS care and treatment.
• Creating opportunities to develop and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders in supporting our HIV policy objectives and promoting treatment advocacy.

Through this program, Merck has provided more than 140 grants in 50 countries, totaling more than $10 million over the past 10 years. Grants have supported a variety of initiatives, from building capacity and strengthening HIV and AIDS programs, to providing health care professionals with HIV and AIDS training, conducting HIV and AIDS education in schools, and mobilizing business leaders in the fight against AIDS.

In 2008, Merck awarded more than U.S. $8 million in grants to more than 200 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations to support local efforts to combat HIV and AIDS in the United States and worldwide.

Funding supported a wide range of programs including an HIV awareness and prevention program in South Korea, a program designed to build capacity among NGOs working on HIV prevention and treatment advocacy in Mexico, and an initiative to establish and monitor HIV and AIDS workplace policies in small and medium enterprises in South Africa. In the United States, funding supported various HIV education and training programs for health professionals as well as community-based organizations HIV outreach and prevention programs.

HIV and AIDS Grants for Capacity Building and Advocacy

In 2008, Merck supported International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) to implement training for NGOs, equipping them with new planning and implementing skills for HIV projects that are expected to reap sustainable outcomes for people living with HIV and AIDS. The project aims to build capacity for NGO communities by teaching proposal writing skills to assist in their application for funding via the Global Fund.

In 2008 Merck supported mothers2mothers (m2m) to facilitate HIV prevention programs targeting rural Lesotho mothers at pre-natal clinics. The program aims to mitigate the incidence of babies born with HIV through the scale-up of PTMTC (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission.) In addition, m2m develops and implements sustainable HIV skills training for women in HIV management in order to better serve the community.

In 2008 Merck contributed to The International AIDS Economic Network (IAEN), to enable current research papers to be disseminated at international forums. Research topics include: cost of ART medications; improving access in developed countries; economics and behavior change; economics of scale; assessing the impact of HIV and AIDS; resource allocation and expenditure tracking; economic evaluation; and antiretroviral therapy.

Merck supported CARE–International in 2008 to expand the HIV prevention program (prevention of mother to child transmission, or PMTCT) targeting underserved communities in Mozambique. 
 
Last year, Merck also supported the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) to engage in a high level dialogue with a diversified group of health care stakeholders. The key outcome was the promotion of high-level advocacy for policy makers and the development of strategic policy instruments in global healthcare.

In 2008 Merck contributed to Dance 4 Life to enable an HIV prevention project in Moscow, utilizing a Focus-Media model that targets young people.  The program seeks to empower youth and community workers in the Russian Federation.

Also in 2008, Merck supported the Social Partnership Development Fund in the Russian Federation, to expand HIV prevention and community outreach projects.  The strategic aim of this program is to enable universal access to treatment and prevention of diseases which add to the burden on public health

In 2008 Merck supported the launch of Grassroots Soccer - Football for an HIV Free Generation, which combines outreach programs for youth including educational, leadership and life skills development. The key aims are to contribute to an acceleration in the reduction of the rate of HIV infection; to make a significant contribution to re-engaging young people across Africa in the light of HIV/AIDS; and to help boost leadership and increase country level focus on scaling up HIV prevention across Africa.

The content on this page was last modified on September 15, 2009.

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