Cabotegravir is a long-acting antiretroviral medicine used as for HIV prevention in people vulnerable to infection. © Isabel Corthier
Blog |
05 October 2022

South Africa can and must demand better deals for drug clinical trials — lives depend on it

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Photograph by Isabel Corthier
Cabotegravir is a long-acting antiretroviral medicine used as for HIV prevention in people vulnerable to infection. © Isabel Corthier Photograph by Isabel Corthier
https://msf-access.medium.com/south-africa-can-and-must-demand-better-deals-for-drug-clinical-trials-lives-depend-on-it-13dfbddff863?source=friends_link&sk=ad09f8b91d42730f5da321b37be8a863

Clinical trials are a fundamental pillar of the research and development (R&D) process for any new drug or vaccine. South Africa’s involvement in several recent trials has been essential to international pharmaceutical companies’ global rollouts — but, argue Candice Sehoma and Lebohang Kobola, the government needs to stand firm and negotiate more shrewdly for access to these medicines.