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| Approval for once-a-day HIV pill | Approval for once-a-day HIV pill |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The first HIV medication which involves taking just one pill a day has been approved by the European authorities. | |
| The go-ahead for Atripla represents what some experts say is a revolution in treatment for the virus that causes Aids, although it is not a cure. | |
| People using the earliest HIV drugs in 1996 had to take up to 30 pills on an empty stomach at different times. | |
| The decision means Atripla can be used in the UK but local health bodies must decide whether the NHS will provide it. | |
| This is a big advance for patients - it almost normalises HIV Dr Simon PortsmouthHIV consultant | This is a big advance for patients - it almost normalises HIV Dr Simon PortsmouthHIV consultant |
| Taking Atripla does not reduce the risk of transmitting the virus. | Taking Atripla does not reduce the risk of transmitting the virus. |
| The drugs regime has already reduced to just several pills a day for people newly diagnosed with HIV. | The drugs regime has already reduced to just several pills a day for people newly diagnosed with HIV. |
| Rival companies | Rival companies |
| But it is highly symbolic that managing the condition will, for some patients, now become almost as simple as taking a daily statin tablet. | But it is highly symbolic that managing the condition will, for some patients, now become almost as simple as taking a daily statin tablet. |
| Atripla combines three existing drugs. It has come into existence as a result of collaboration between three rival drug companies - Gilead Sciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck. | Atripla combines three existing drugs. It has come into existence as a result of collaboration between three rival drug companies - Gilead Sciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck. |
| The single pill was licensed in the US in July last year - and is now given to half of all patients who are newly diagnosed there. | The single pill was licensed in the US in July last year - and is now given to half of all patients who are newly diagnosed there. |
| Approval by the European Commission means Atripla will soon be available to people with HIV in Germany, Austria and the UK. | Approval by the European Commission means Atripla will soon be available to people with HIV in Germany, Austria and the UK. |
| In the UK, it will be available through the NHS, but this will be at the discretion of primary care trusts (PCTs)and GPs. | |
| Dr Simon Portsmouth, a leading HIV consultant, said: "This is a big advance for patients. It almost normalises HIV. | Dr Simon Portsmouth, a leading HIV consultant, said: "This is a big advance for patients. It almost normalises HIV. |
| "They can just take this pill before they go to bed at night, and it doesn't take over their whole life." | "They can just take this pill before they go to bed at night, and it doesn't take over their whole life." |
| Dr Portsmouth, based at St Mary's Hospital in west London, added: "Because we've been using the components of Atripla for some time, we know what side effects to expect. | Dr Portsmouth, based at St Mary's Hospital in west London, added: "Because we've been using the components of Atripla for some time, we know what side effects to expect. |
| "Probably more than half of patients initially will get some dizziness, or abnormal dreams, or sleep disturbance. But generally this medicine is pretty well-tolerated. | "Probably more than half of patients initially will get some dizziness, or abnormal dreams, or sleep disturbance. But generally this medicine is pretty well-tolerated. |
| "And we'll spend lots of time with each person, explaining the drug and why they need to take it carefully all the time." | "And we'll spend lots of time with each person, explaining the drug and why they need to take it carefully all the time." |
| Not straightforward | Not straightforward |
| Gilead senior vice-president Paul Carter said: "There has been a huge amount of manufacturing work to bring this drug to the market. | Gilead senior vice-president Paul Carter said: "There has been a huge amount of manufacturing work to bring this drug to the market. |
| "Trying to get three drugs into one pill isn't a straightforward procedure. | "Trying to get three drugs into one pill isn't a straightforward procedure. |
| "But nevertheless we anticipate that across Europe, Atripla will be available at a price which is in parity with the sum of its component parts." | "But nevertheless we anticipate that across Europe, Atripla will be available at a price which is in parity with the sum of its component parts." |
| Merck, meanwhile, is taking a lead in trying to make the pill available to people with HIV in Africa, at a lower price. | Merck, meanwhile, is taking a lead in trying to make the pill available to people with HIV in Africa, at a lower price. |
| Mr Carter pointed out that drug development in this field is a never-ending task. | Mr Carter pointed out that drug development in this field is a never-ending task. |
| "We see plenty of room for better treatments in the years ahead," he said. | "We see plenty of room for better treatments in the years ahead," he said. |
| "It's a key issue that HIV builds up resistance, and therefore the industry needs a continual pipeline of new drugs." | "It's a key issue that HIV builds up resistance, and therefore the industry needs a continual pipeline of new drugs." |