South Africa: Generics ensure affordable AIDS treatment

A massive reduction in the price of antiretroviral drugs now makes it possible for South Africa to turn HIV/AIDS from a killer into a chronic, manageable disease. Over the past five years, the cost of a year’s supply of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in South Africa has plummeted from over R95 000 to around R1 200 for the standard “first-line” package of three drugs a day – largely because generic ARV drugs are now available.