US Clinton Foundation in Generics Deal for Africa

The William J. Clinton Foundation, a charitable organisation founded by the former US president, has secured a deal with Indian generics major Cipla to distribute HIV/AIDS therapies to 10,000 children in African countries, including Tanzania, Lesotho and Rwanda by the end of this year.

The agreement, which will also cover countries such as China and the Dominican Republic, reportedly halves the cost of paediatric antiretrovirals (ARVs), as these drugs are often significantly more expensive than adult treatments.

Notably, the supply deal does not cover countries such as Brazil and Thailand, which already manufacture substantial quantities of "generic" ARVs. The project unites Cipla, which is already a leading supplier of cheap HIV/AIDS drugs in Africa, and the Clinton foundation, which will no doubt hope to complement the work of the current US president's PEPFAR AIDS relief programme for Africa.