Parallel importing of cheap HIV medications for vulnerable people could come under threat if the much-vaunted Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement is widened to include countries such as the USA. Currently HIV medications can cost the government's drug buying agency, Pharmac, as much as $1350 a month per drug per person, according to HIV-positive peoples advocacy and support organisation Body Positive. While these costly medications are available free to HIV-positive NZ residents, Body Positive parallel imports the same medications "made by the same factory for the same company" sourced through the Red Cross in Thailand for as little as $100. They are used here to treat people with HIV whose visas allow them to be in the country but who do not have the residency status which gives access to free health care. Body Positive's general manager, Bruce Kilmister, speaking at the Pride Festival screening of the movie The Dallas Buyers' Club, says BP generally has several such people at any time surviving on the parallel-imported meds, but under TPP parallel importing and even the availability of generic substitute drugs are threatened by the demands of the USA's negotiators. Although Body Positive could not afford to provide the drugs at the full 'New Zealand' cost Kilmister remains hopeful a formal or informal solution will be found and notes that there is already some downward movement in the NZ cost of those HIV medications which are nearing the end of their patented period.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 20th February 2014 - 11:24pm