Generic Drugs

[HF Andrade Jr.]

Some of the problems with antimonials could resulted from the source salts
in synthesis, that could be contaminated with other heavy metals, specially
arsenic. Originally, antimony salts are used as catalysts in chemistry.
In Davidson comments, I do not heard about miltefosine, it is in programe to
transform in generic drug,too?
Soory for my English
Heitor Andrade
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeffrey Jon Shaw <jeffreyj at usp.br>
To: Multiple recipients of list <leish-l at bdt.org.br>
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2001 11:25 AM
Subject: Fwd: RE: Generic Drugs


>
> >Delivered-To: jeffreyj at usp.br
> >From: "Davidson, Robert N" <r.n.davidson at ic.ac.uk>
> >To: 'Jeffrey Jon Shaw ' <jeffreyj at usp.br>
> >Subject: RE: Generic Drugs
> >Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 23:12:31 +0100
> >X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19)
> >
> >Dear Dr Shaw and other leishmaniacs,
> >
> >as one of the authors of the paper Jeffrey cites, and as the technical
> >adviser on kala azar for Medecins Sans Frontieres - Holland, let me make
a
> >few comments about generic drugs for leishmaniasis.
> >
> >1. Generic sodium stibogluconate (SSG) can be obtained cheaply, easily,
and
> >in large quantities from the International Dispensary Association in
> >Amsterdam. IDA is a non-profit generic drug supplier which will be well
> >known to many who work in poor countries. IDA sources generic SSG from a
> >manufacturer in India, and IDA independently verifies all aspects of the
> >quality control according to (and beyond) British Pharmacopoeia
standards.
> >Because SSG from other sources has been regularly reported to be of
variable
> >quality, and because anecdotes of "toxic batches of SSG" have abounded
for
> >decades, MSF endorses only the IDA product, and not generic SSG from
other
> >sources. We hope that the documentation of the independent quality
control
> >by IDA can allow national governments to import this SSG.MSF uses IDA
> >generic SSG product in its kala azar programmes, having done large-scale
> >evaluations of the product in the field.
> >MSF-H has treated about 45,000 cases of kala azar in the east African
region
> >since 1989. Our shift to IDA's high-quality generic SSG has been the
result
> >of 7 years of work by MSF-H - there have been many who have opposed us.
> >
> >2. MSF-H is very aware that wider availability of SSG at an affordable
price
> >in Africa could lead to increasing drug resistance, as has occurred in
> >India. Thus we are doing all we can to support WHO/TDR in completing the
> >final steps in the re-licencing of paromomycin (also known as
aminosidine)
> >as an alternative (2nd line) drug for leishmaniasis. This product is
> >manufactured by IDA. It is already available on a compassionate basis,
and
> >when licenced will be available as a generic drug - at low cost.
> >
> >If anyone would like to read the field evaluations MSF has conducted on
> >generic SSG I can provide the references; and if anyone needs a contact
> >email for IDA, I shall be happy to assist.
> >
> >yours, Robert Davidson
>
>