The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) issued a press release expressing its approval of an action committed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): giving its OK to generic drugs manufactured by South Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare. Generic HIV medications will be available for the first time for programs funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR rules ban the purchase of non-FDA-approved drugs.
Terje Anderson, NAPWA Executive Director, said that ‘ [a] t least some generic medications are now available to programs in PEPFAR nations, and this welcome news.’ Approximately two to three times the current number of people can receive treatment now that providers will be able to buy generic drugs with U.S. funding.