Anti-Retroviral (ARV) Treatment

Anti-Retroviral (ARV) Treatment in Developing Countries:Questions of Economics, Equity and Ethics Background materials and outputs from an on-line conference hosted by the AIDS Economics web site / Sponsored by UNAIDS and The World BankAnti-retroviral (ARV) drugs have the potential to dramatically improve the health and extend the lives of some people with HIV/AIDS. Yet the high cost and demanding clinical requirements of these drugs put them out of reach of the vast majority of people with HIV. This problem is especially acute in developing countries, where HIV infection levels are high and public resources are extremely scarce. Views on this problem vary widely. Some argue that governments and the international community should do everything possible to pay for ARV treatment for all who need it; others argue that such treatments are primarily a "private good" and should not be publicly funded. Meanwhile, policymakers in developing countries face mounting public pressure to pay for these very expensive drugs. This special focus area of the AIDS Economics web

(too heavy of a topic for a joke on a monday)