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Estimated cost of lifetime AIDS treatment assessed to be $618,900

by Medindia Content Team on Nov 3 2006 3:15 PM

With the emergence of twenty four new drugs to combat HIV infection in the market presently the options to treat HIV are plenty. But the crux of the issue is the fact that sweet respite offered by these medications by increasing life expectancy by almost 24 years comes tagged with a exorbitant cost.

A recent study conducted by a Cornell/Johns Hopkins/Harvard/Boston University research team analyzed the costs and benefits offered by HIV treatment today. When anti retroviral medicines were first introduced in 1996 life expectancy of Aids patients was enhanced by 4 years. Ten years down the line it has increased commendably by almost 24 years .Researchers note that like most breakthrough treatments tend to be expensive owing to the mammoth resources that are poured in for the sake of research breakthrough in Aids treatment too has become expensive which makes it more imperative that more funds are channelised to ensure that treatment is made available to the poorer sections of the society as well.

Cost of treatment has been projected to be a whopping $2,100 every month for an individual suffering from HIV infection.75% of the life time expenses would thereafter be on account of the drugs that are needed. However if treatment starts very late then an individual would run into greater expenses to fight the disease as he may face hospitalization.

Researchers point out that although the US has tripled its funding for Aids treatment programs in the last decade it still falls short of actually meeting the demands of the present scenario calling in for approximately $12.1 billion per year to tackle the present need without which accessibility to Aids treatment would become out of bounds for the poorer people in the society. Ample steps taken towards the prevention of an estimated 40,000 fresh cases annually is also a big step to be positively fostered and augmented in order to cut down the costs of HIV care.



Source-Medindia
MST


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