Voluntary licenses granted on cheap AIDS drugs

Pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has rejected findings by the South African Competition Commission that the company charged excessive prices on HIV/AIDS drugs, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has reported. GSK is one of two drug manufacturers operating locally who were found by the commission to have "abused their dominant positions in their respective antiretroviral markets". GSK spokeswoman, Vicky Erich, rejected the findings, saying that the firm had already reduced the price of antiretrovirals more than once, and their prices were the lowest in the world. The company announced plans in June to offer cheap antiretroviral treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS in 63 developing countries. GSK has granted voluntary licenses to local generic drug manufacturer, Aspen Pharmacare, to supply three of its HIV/AIDS drugs throughout sub-Saharan Africa.