Recently the Armenian Government included  HIV/AIDS and the Armenicum and(or) other equivalent drugs in the list of its Decree of 2006 "On the approval of the list of diseases and social groups entitled to purchasing drugs free of charge or on preferential terms ". Based on that Decree the state budget project of 2011  foresees 50 million AMD (approximately 140.000 USD) for providing people affected by HIV/AIDS with the Armenicum.

However, since  according to the data of the National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia, in 2009 1200 people were registered with HIV/AIDS, of which 310 are women,  50 million AMD  will not be enough to cover expenses for all affected people. Only 157 patients will be covered, since the average market price of one unit of the Armenicum is 31.900 AMD (approximately 90 USD).

Answering the question who will be given the preference and what will the standards be in this inadequate arithmetic, the Head of Department of the Drug and Medical Technology, Organization of the Pharmaceutical Activities of the Ministry of Health of Armenia Marine Harutyunyan  said that the preference will be given to the patients  with socially insecure background and with serious health problems. "The medical establishments  dealing with appropriate drug supply will be instructed to give a preference to the people who need the treatment and cannot afford buying drugs".

The criterion for selection contradicts the Article 14. 2 of the RA Law on Prevention of the diseases generated by the Human immunodeficiency virus.  It states:"Infected individuals have the right to non-discriminatory treatment."

Since  corruption risks exist in all spheres in our country, it is important to know which mechanisms the Ministry of Health will use to control this process. Ms. Harutyunyan clarified that the Ministry of Health will require reports on allocations and remaining of the drugs every three months. They will also require documentation of names and social bases. This will help to see whether the allocation was fair or not. Besides, they will organize inspections on the spot several times during a year.   

Answering the question whether the number of patients registered at the AIDS Center or the "Armenicum" center will be used while making selection, Marine Harutyunyan said that data will be collected from all these centers,  and inquiries will be made determining the patients who have the worst health condition. In 2011 they will put in practice a new order of allocation of the Armenicum to the specific social groups. Ms. Harutyunyan said that according to the brief survey conducted recently, in 2011 around 200 people will have a possibility to receive Armenicum free of charge.

Ms. Harutyunyan said  that in 2011 the order that regulates documentation necessary for inclusion in the list for free access of the Armenicum will be elaborated and put into practice. Most likely, it will be a number of documents proving disability, family situation, allowance etc.

Answering the question whether it is possible that the same person benefits from both the state support and the right to get free Armenicum, Marine Harutyunyan said that it is merely a technical issue which will be rapidly settled by the proper documentation. "We will analyze and clarify whether the patient is registered in the given medical institution and will ask for proper documents." She also said that it is not essential if the patients  are from one family or not, since  they are considered as  separate patients and not as representatives of one family.

Marine Harutyunyan said that the issues of the treatment course are not discussed so far. Most likely the patients will receive the whole course of treatment instead of only one-time allocation of the Armenicum. "It is more effective to treat 10 people adequately rather than 100 people not fully. It is also forbidden to suspend the treatment because that will entail worse results in future."

Director of "Armenicum" Ltd. Levon Gevorgyan believes that the results of the treatment may vary depending on the patients. For some of the patients one course may bring positive results, for  others the positive changes will be observed only after 3 courses of treatment. The treatment is immune therapy. It lasts 7 days and consists of injections once two days. 18 days later the patient should return for the next course. The therapy course should be repeated 3-4 times.  

Levon Gevorgyan said that within 5 years 60 patients with HIV/AIDS received state supported free treatment in the Armenicum medical center. 50 million AMD will be allocated not only for patients who have HIV/AIDS, but also to the patients with immunodeficiency. "Armenicum is a drug which activates immune system and it has a wider application. It is a remedy against flu, immunodeficiency", Mr. Gevorgyan said and added that last year the drug was tested against Swine flu and serious results were registered. Mr. Gevorgyan also informed that Armenicum was manufactured in pills. It is not available in pharmacies but has been registered in Armenia and was already used by sportsmen.

Levon Gevorgyan said that currently they conduct clinical testing and their expenses exceed 50.mln. AMD planned by the state budget for the next year. Nevertheless, he is delighted about the Decree of the Government because it means that Armenicum is in the state strategy and that will contribute to the improvement of the reputation of the drug worldwide.

Levon Gevorgyan does not consider 50 million AMD are insufficient for 1200 registered patients. In his opinion, during the first stage of the disease there is a concept of virus carrier and there is no need for treatment on that stage. They start the treatment when patients begin to have problems.

Answering the question about the annual volume of Armenicum manufacturing and consumption by HIV/AIDS infected people, Levon Gevorgyan said: "We produce as much as there is a need, it is not a trade of oil or chocolate, we plan everything in advance."

Levon Gevorgyan informed that Armenicum used against HIV/AIDS, flu or against fever has the same composition, only dosage is different. "The drug is registered based on different criteria- antiviral, antibacterial and immune-modulating. For example, in the past penicillin was used against syphilis, gonococcus but it was also used against fever. The same is Armenicum, it has a wider spectrum of application."

The Armenicum has been registered as a drug against AIDS by the RA Drug and Medical Technology Agency on February 22, 1999.

Sona Adamyan

Source: www.hra.am