Africa: Generic anti-AIDS drugs withdrawn from WHO list

In a move that could affect HIV-positive people on treatment in developing countries, an Indian generic drug manufacturer voluntarily withdrew its drugs from the World Health Organisation's (WHO) list of approved HIV medicines. The seven antiretroviral (ARV) drugs made by Ranbaxy Laboratories were removed after the company "found discrepancies" in documents proving their biological equivalence to the patented versions, a WHO statement said. In August this year, WHO withdrew three other drugs made by the company for the same reason.