Last night, I watched an old episode of Numbers that touched on drug development’s risk vs. benefit issues. Guess which part pharma played? The villain, of course. Just as it did in The Constant Gardener, the book and later the film, works of fiction that were still inspired by the tragic results of meningitis vaccine development in Africa, and clinical trials of Pfizer’s Trovan. (For more on this, on this read Paul Thomas’ previous post about the Washington Post’s coverage last year, and Pfizer’s response)
While that tragedy must never be forgotten or diminished, it was still encouraging to read today of GSK’s registering its new meningitis vaccine, Globorix, in Africa, a drug which took over $400 million to develop, but from which the company does not expect to profit.
Most of the “neglected” diseases that kill most people in the world each year are not profitable ones. Merck developed its ivermectin years ago for humanitarian reasons, and more companies should (and some are) finding ways to do this. Bills Clinton and Gates are helping these efforts, to their credit.
News of Globorix was also a reminder that, despite the many scandals and problems plaguing the drug industry, it still does manage to save lives.
Over the past few years, pharma companies have donated over $1 billion worth of medicines to sub-Saharan Africa. Such donations are excellent good will gestures and P.R., but what’s needed now are new models that allow drug companies to preserve their IP, and yet allow developing nations to become self-sufficient in producing these medicines on their own. “Give a man a fish vs. teach a man to fish.”
This drama is playing out in Thailand, India, Africa and around the world. Perhaps GSK’s model with this drug could be the template for more such efforts in the future?
But here is what the BBC News had to say about Globorix.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6508985.stm
New low-cost vaccine for Africa By Angus Crawford
BBC News
For the first time, Europe’s largest drugs company, GSK, is starting the registration process for a vaccine from which it never expects to make money. Globorix will only be used in Africa to prevent meningitis at prices that may never cover its research costs. Experts say it is a sign big companies are changing their business practices, but some critics say it is not enough. (more…)
