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WHO scraps two generic AIDS drugs

    JOHANNESBURG

    Two generic versions of anti-AIDS drugs commonly used in developing countries have been removed from the World Health Organisation's (WHO) list of approved antiretrovirals.

    The UN health agency said it was uncertain that the drugs were biologically the same as the patented versions.

    Daniela Bagozzi, a WHO spokeswoman, said in a statement: "We made a random check on the laboratory [testing the drugs] and it did not meet good clinical and laboratory practice."

    The generics - known as lamivudine (3TC) and zidovudine (AZT) - were manufactured by Cipla, an Indian pharmaceutical company specialising in providing generic drugs to developing countries.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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