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AIDS drug manufacturers forget children

    JOHANNESBURG

    The failure to adapt diagnostic HIV/AIDS tests and drugs to the needs of children is hampering treatment of HIV-positive youngsters in developing countries, an international health NGO has said.

    Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) noted that there was no reliable test to detect HIV in children under 18 months, and while fixed-dose drugs for adults cost around US $200 per person per year, the same drugs for children cost about $1,300.

    MSF medical coordinator Dr David Wilson told the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok earlier this week: "We need to pay more attention to [children] - they are not just small adults. There are specific issues in terms of diagnosis, and specific issues in terms of treatment."

    Research shows that little or no child-friendly AIDS medicines have been developed, despite many children having trouble swallowing the bad-tasting pills and syrups that are available.

    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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