Global Fund and drugmakers in deal to reduce malaria medicine prices by up to 80%

The Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and six manufacturers of quality-assured malaria drugs have finalized agreements to place affordable life-saving malaria drugs within reach of millions of people in need, especially children. This public- private collaboration, a part of the Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm) Phase 1, will benefit eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Under the agreements, private importers will now pay up to 80% less than they did in 2008-2009 for the most effective malaria drugs (artemisinin-based combination therapies; ACTs), bringing the factory gate prices down to the same level as for public sector buyers. The AMFm will then subsidize purchases made by first-line buyers, all of whom have signed an undertaking to pass the benefit of low prices down the supply chain, thereby enabling the roughly 60% of malaria patients who obtain treatment in private shops to obtain the most effective treatments at affordable prices. Currently ACTs make up only 5% of treatments provided through the private sector. Orders of ACTs at these more affordable prices have already begun.

'These agreements bring us closer to the day when all who need malaria medicines will get them at affordable prices,' says Global Fund executive director Michel Kazatchkine, adding: "Thanks to the cooperation of partners, manufacturers of quality-assured malaria medicines and leadership by countries, we will make malaria deaths history.'