MSD urges punishment against anti-ARV rhetoric

CALISTUS KOLANTSHO
Correspondent | Friday May 17, 2013 00:00

Sebape told Mmegi this week that some people who claim to cure HIV/AIDS have made people quit using ARVs.He said a  patients' health then deteriorates and they die. He stated that finding a cure for HIV/AIDS is not expected anytime soon because the virus keeps on changing.

He stated that the government spends a lot of money on medication and it is disappointing to have it thrown away. MSD is a pharmaceutical company that manufactures gene-based medicines, including ARV drugs, issued at health facilities. It also provides training to pharmacy technicians, nurses and doctors to make sure that they dispense medication safely. 

He explained that MSD does not make any profit on ARVs even though they invest a lot in them.'The main challenge that the country is facing is people who default on their medication and one of the elements that influence such behaviour is alcohol abuse. We are a company that works ethically and if people do not take their medication correctly, it looks bad on us. It seems like adherence will continue to be a problem here,' he said.

He explained that people are no longer scared of HIV/AIDS because they think they have all the information on the disease.'But that is dangerous because the situation of people dying like in the olden days might return,' he said. Sebape however lauded those who take their medication properly and lead active lifestyles.

Sebape said MSD came up with a single drug that can be taken daily instead of the multiple drugs, which people also took on a daily basis. He revealed that the company has also introduced another drug that is meant for people who are resistant to normal ARVs.