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INTERVIEW - Dr. Brian Tempest,
CEO and Managing Director, Ranbaxy |
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| What are your views on the
HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly in the Asia Pacific region? |
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| Low prevalence rates in most countries in this region can
be deceptive. Serious localised epidemics in several countries
clearly show that the problem has the potential to reach huge
proportions that can impact economies significantly like in
Africa. While the region has some excellent success stories
cited globally such as Thailand and Cambodia, there are several
countries that still need to do a lot in terms of education,
awareness, prevention and treatment of HIV. |
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| What, according to you, are the development
issues that need to be tackled while addressing the HIV/AIDS
epidemic? |
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| Strengthening health & education infrastructure is very
important. It has been proved that effective communication can
tackle this epidemic. A lot of work has to be done on that front,
especially in rural areas, along trucking routes, and in areas
with immigrant domiciles. |
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| How do you see India’s response to
HIV/AIDS? |
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| There has been rapid improvement in last couple of years.
The country already has one of the largest PMTCT programmes
in the world. We have embarked upon an ambitious treatment programme
that aims to provide ARVs to about 100,000 people by April-2005.
Besides, a comprehensive education and awareness programme seems
to be taking shape. |
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| Are Indian companies demonstrating sufficient
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in HIV/AIDS? |
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| There are some examples that stand out e.g. the Tata Sons,
Modicare foundation, Bajaj Auto, etc. that are engaged in HIV/AIDS
work at their workplaces and/or communities around them. Then
there are companies such as Ranbaxy that have helped reduce
cost of ARVs and is helping reach ARVs to thousands around the
world. Indian companies have made large impact but have been
traditionally media shy about it. |
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| Ranbaxy already has an HIV/AIDS Initiative.
Can you elaborate a little on it? |
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| Our approach is to focus on what we do best: manufacture world
class quality at the lowest possible cost. This has helped reduce
cost of drugs. We have created an industry benchmark by doing
expensive bio-equivalence studies for our ARVs that are normally
not required in India or Africa. We have filed most of our anti-HIV
drugs with WHO for their approval. And have received 22 approvals
so far: nearly 1/4th of all WHO approvals. This has helped people
in developing countries develop confidence in generics. Consequently,
cost of ARVs has been reduced substantially. We are also focusing
on innovation: combining a few drugs together to reduce pill
burden on the person living with HIV/AIDS. This helps improve
compliance to therapy and helps reduce chances of the virus
getting resistant to the drugs. |
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| Ranbaxy has joined hands with the William
J. Clinton Foundation to provide ARVs at a lower cost to countries
in Africa and the Caribbean. What are the company’s plans
for Asia Pacific and India? |
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| We have agreed to support the Indian government’s ARV
treatment programme with low prices. We are engaged in governments
in various countries around in how we can partner with them
and help them implement cost effective treatment programmes,
including in Asia Pacific. |
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| About
Dr. Brian Tempest |
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