Novartis imparts low-cost chronic medicines in poor countries

Drug manufacturer Novartis AG announced that they have rolled out a program to provide 15 drugs that treat chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure in poor cuntries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Vietnam, Reuters reports.

The Swiss-based pharmaceutical company said that they will be supplying patented and generic drugs for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, breast cancer and respiratory illnesses through a new program called Novartis Access, which will result to a $1 cost per treatment per month to governments, aid groups and other organizations.

The International Business Times reports that among the drugs to be distributed are three brand-name medicines including vildagliptin for diabetes, Sandoz's furosemide for heart failure, ramipril for high blood pressure and tamoxifen for breast cancer. All of these drugs are on the World Health Organization's Essential Medicines List.

Novartis is looking to expand this program to 30 more countries, and chose to begin with Kenya, Ethiopia and Vietnam because these countries encounter problems in accessing sophisticated medicines, and also because the company already has a strong presence and ties to non-governmental organizations in those areas.

"This program takes a novel approach to addressing the rising tide of chronic diseases in parts of the world where people often have limited access to healthcare," said Joerg Reinhardt, chair of the board of Novartis. "We know we will need to keep an open mindset and learn as we progress on this journey."

Novartis CEO Joseph Jimenez recently spoke with The Washington Post to talk about the recent issues regarding drug pricing. He said, "There’s been a lot of discussion about drug pricing. What we have to do is we have to shift that conversation away from the price toward the value. Like, what exactly is the value of this drug that is going to result in a positive outcome? And is society willing to pay for that drug?"

Jimenez also said, "At Novartis, we take a little bit of a different approach than our peers. Not only are we a large, innovative drug manufacturer, but we also are the second largest generics manufacturer. Many people ask, “Isn’t that schizophrenic?”—because generics try to break the patent of the innovative drug. I say it’s not inconsistent."

He explained, "We are pro-patent, because that’s how medical science advances: You invest, and you need time to recover that investment. I also believe at Novartis that the day that patents expire, it’s our obligation to offer a low-cost version in a generic form."