Merck has undertaken a number of initiatives to achieve affordable pricing for our HIV/AIDS medicines, improve access and delivery systems and build health care capacity through public-private development partnerships.
The Accelerating Access Initiative (AAI)
Merck is a founding member of the UN/Industry Accelerating Access Initiative (AAI). Established in May 2000, AAI is a cooperative endeavor of UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Bank, and several research-based pharmaceutical companies. Participants are committed to working with governments, international organizations and other stakeholders to find ways to broaden access while ensuring rational, affordable, safe and effective use of drugs for HIV infections and AIDS-related illnesses.
To this end, a Joint Statement of Intent established shared principles and a common approach to accelerating access to HIV/AIDS care and treatment in developing countries:
- Political will and commitment of governments
- Strengthened national health care capacity
- Safe, secure and efficient distribution systems
- Involvement of all sectors of society
- Significant additional funding from both national and international sources
- Continued investment in research and development by the pharmaceutical industry
Merck has made a strong commitment to participating in the AAI, and is a signatory to the Statement of Intent. We work closely with the UN and other agencies to respond to particular needs of different countries, in a way and at a pace that makes sense to the country officials who have primary responsibility for the health of their populations.
These efforts are beginning to bear fruit. As of September 2006, more than 738,000 HIV patients in developing countries had received ARV treatment at significantly reduced prices through the efforts of AAI companies. The AAI focused initially on Africa, where more than 424,000 people are being treated with at least one antiretroviral supplied by an AAI company, an increase of 11 percent over 12 months. This increase results in a 45-fold increase in the number of people being treated with medicines supplied by the AAI companies in Africa since the establishment of the AAI in May 2000.
HIV/AIDS Pricing Policy
Consistent with our commitment to increasing access, Merck provides its current antiretrovirals to developing world and emerging market countries at deeply discounted prices.
In 2001, Merck announced price reduction guidelines for our current HIV/AIDS medicines, CRIXIVAN® (indinavir sulfate) and STOCRIN® (efavirenz), based on the generally accepted United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI) and UNAIDS adult HIV prevalence data. In 2007, Merck announced that it also would extend its pricing policy to include ATRIPLA™ (efavirenz 600 mg/ emtricitabine 200 mg/ tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg).
Based on these guidelines, Merck makes no profit on the sale of its current HIV/AIDS medicines in the world's poorest countries and those hardest hit by the pandemic. For medium HDI countries with an adult HIV prevalence of less than 1 percent, our two HIV/AIDS medicines are available at significantly reduced prices. For high HDI countries, Merck makes its antiretroviral (ARV) medicines available at market-based prices that take into account local purchasing power and competitive products.
Since 2001, Merck has twice further reduced the price for the 600 mg formulation of STOCRIN in all developing countries due to new efficiencies and cost savings resulting from improved manufacturing processes. For more information and specific prices, click here for Merck's HIV/AIDS pricing policy.
To date, we have offered these medicines at discounted prices to purchasers in the public and private sectors in more than 130 countries. The offer extends not only to the governments of these developing countries, but also to other stakeholders undertaking care and treatment programs, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), charitable organizations and private-sector employers. As of September 2006, nearly 500,000 patients in more than 75 developing world countries were being treated with regimens containing our HIV/AIDS medicines.
We have made our prices public to increase transparency in addressing the global health challenge of HIV/AIDS.
"This announcement of further price reductions by Merck is very welcome. The cost of antiretroviral therapies from both research-based and generic pharmaceutical companies has declined dramatically in recent years. We hope that this trend accelerates as the global community gears up to come as close as possible to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care for all who need it by 2010."
— Dr. Peter Piot
Executive Director of the Joint
United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
March 2006
To learn more about Merck's commitment to addressing HIV/AIDS, click on the links below:
