How pharma’s successes and failures access planning for HIV treatment can be applied to other disease areas now

Jay explains that strategies employed by pharma companies and other industry stakeholders in the development and distribution of HIV treatments laid the groundwork for how pharma companies approach access issues in other disease areas today. 

She notes that cooperation between the multinational companies that develop HIV products and the generic companies that produce them has been key to success so far. Specifically, she notes that the voluntary licensing via the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), which facilitated negotiations between original patent holders and generic manufacturers, has helped bridge global access gaps for HIV treatments.  

While the handling of HIV drugs has become a “poster child for global health systems,” Jay notes that the boilerplate may not suit other disease areas due to differences in market dynamics and investment infrastructures. 

Additionally, Jay points out that there are still challenges to overcome in the HIV space. First, she notes that full spectrum HIV treatments are still not available globally, highlighting the need for continued access expansion efforts. Secondly, stigma around the disease remains prevalent, increasing the risk that patients encounter poor-quality medicines and sham treatments, which is another serious concern. 

Widening the conversation, Jay highlights that fewer and fewer pharma and biotech companies are choosing to invest in R&D for infectious diseases, as these projects are less lucrative compared to projects like cancer drugs. This raises serious concerns for global health security, especially in light of the rise of drug-resistant infections.