"M-Coalition": The First Arab Coalition on MSM and HIV

Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality

http://www.afemena.org/#!news-and-events/c24vq 

The Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality (AFE) is an NGO based in Lebanon that works to support gender equality and sexual and bodily rights activists through capacity and coalition building. Recently, AFE supported the formation of the M-Coalition, the region's first coalition on MSM, made up of 13 civil society advocates and service providers from five Arab countries. The group is committed to working to bring key stakeholders together in promoting high-quality prevention, treatment, and care services for MSM living in Arab countries.

The Well Project  

http://www.thewellproject.org/  

The Well Project is an NGO working to address the specific needs of women and girls within the HIV/AIDS pandemic by promoting information access, community support, and targeted research. It advocates for increased research on the role women and girls play in the response to HIV, and support for community advocates to create safe spaces for persons living with HIV. Its blog, "Girl Like Me" (www.girllikeme.org), provides a safe space for women and girls living with HIV to express themselves. 

The Role of Advocacy in Affordable Hepatitis C Treatment

Hepatitis C disproportionately affects people living with HIV and the key populations involved in the response to HIV. Approximately 5.5 million people are co-infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV, and, even though people living with HIV can now live longer due to access to treatment, their lives are often cut short due to HCV infection.[1] 

Worldwide, 150 million people are infected with HCV, and more than 350,000 people die every year from HCV-related liver disease. Three to four million more people become infected with the virus every year, and several countries have severe chronic infection rates, such as Egypt, where the estimated 2013 prevalence rate was 14.7 percent.[2]  Hepatitis C is curable with antiviral therapy, but the majority of people living with the virus are in low- and middle-income countries where medical costs can prevent access to treatment.[3] 

HCV infection progresses to liver damage faster in people living with HIV and can have an impact on the management of HIV treatment and care. People who inject drugs are more likely than other populations to contract both HIV and HCV.[4]  Reports show that health providers are reluctant to treat HCV in people who inject drugs despite evidence that drug users' adherence to treatment is similar to any other population.[5] 

In December 2013, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the use of a new HCV treatment known as Solvadi (sofosbuvir). In clinical trials the treatment was found to be superior to previously available treatments. The current cost of Solvadi, a once-a-day pill for 12 to 24 weeks, is US$1,000 per pill in the United States-US$84,000 for a 12-week treatment and US$168,000 for 24 weeks. The treatment's manufacturer, Gilead, indicated that it is negotiating with patient groups in India to provide the 24-week regimen for US$2,000.[6] 

Many civil society organizations are dedicated to reducing the costs of treatment and care, noting that cost is often a barrier to healthcare. Organizations recognize the need work with governments to find ways to use states' purchasing and negotiating powers to lower the price of medicine. In 2007, the Egyptian government successfully reduced the cost of HCV treatment from US$12,000 to under US$2,000 through negotiations with Roche and Merck.

The international medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières(MSF) advocates for lower drug costs and improved access through its Access Campaign. Started in 1999, the campaign promotes "access to, and the development of life-saving and life-prolonging medicines, diagnostic tests and vaccines for patients in MSF programmes and beyond."[7] MSF has called for a reduction in the price of Gilead's HCV treatment and notes that the cost to produce the drug-approximately US$68-136 for a 12-week treatment course-calls into question the need for such high prices both in the United States and globally. Rohit Malpani, director of policy and analysis for the Access Campaign, notes, "If we want to see Hepatitis C treatment scaled up globally, we are going to need much lower prices in all countries with a high burden of the disease. We know from our experience treating HIV over the last decade and a half that treatment needs to be simple and affordable."[8] 

The development of new drugs and treatments is essential in the response to HIV and other global health issues. Yet, when the costs associated with treatment regimens limit access, civil society and government are critical players in negotiating a fair, equitable outcome for all stakeholders. MSFand numerous other organizations around the world are actively working to reduce the cost of medical care [F11] and continue to work with governments and pharmaceutical companies to ensure that treatment reaches those who need it most.

For more information on Médecins Sans Frontières and their work in access to medication please visit http://www.msfaccess.org/. 

Médecins Sans Frontières: http://www.msf.org/  

The USAID- and PEPFAR-funded Health Policy Project's HIV Policy and Advocacy Monitor is a monthly newsletter focusing on the advancement, development, and analysis of policies, advocacy campaigns and organizations, and policy-related data to inform the response to HIV and AIDS at the global, national, and local levels. It includes news items, resources, advocacy reports, and innovative policy analyses on a wide range of topics such as treatment, key populations issues, gender, and financing for HIV policies and programs.

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