Intellectual Property Watch: WHO Prequalifies First Generic Hepatitis C Drug And First HIV Self-Test
“…[T]he World Health Organization has announced the prequalification of the first generic version of sofosbuvir, a ‘critical’ medicine for treating hepatitis C. Treatment for hepatitis C under patent has been notoriously priced at extreme high levels, putting it out of reach of patients in economies of all sizes. … At the same time, the U.N. health agency announced a new oral self-test for HIV that gives results in as little as 20 minutes, which it hopes will increase diagnosis and treatment…” (New, 7/21).

STAT: WHO moves to widen access to generic Sovaldi in dozens of countries
“…[T]he WHO wants to encourage greater use of lower-cost versions of Sovaldi in dozens of countries where public health advocates say availability has been impeded by bureaucratic delays to an access plan hatched three years ago by Gilead Sciences, which sells the brand-name drug…” (Silverman, 7/21).