Poorer countries are set to see their access to HIV self-tests increase dramatically following a deal to slash prices in half and boost production, Unitaid said Wednesday.

The international health agency said it had closed a deal with US-based global healthcare company Viatris that will see blood-based HIV self-tests made available for under $2 across 135 low and middle-income countries.

HIV self-tests are seen as vital tools to help people more easily discover their status and move towards the treatment they need, and thus also to reducing the HIV burden globally.

This is particularly relevant in poorer countries, where concerns around stigma and difficulties accessing healthcare can create significant barriers, said Unitaid, which works on innovations on major diseases.

"Access to self-tests has been recognised as a key factor in meeting the global goal of 90 per cent of people knowing their HIV status," Unitaid spokesman Herve Verhoosel said in a statement.

In just the past six years, that rate has nearly doubled, from 45 to 81 per cent, he said.

But achieving broader testing has been hampered by the fact that the market for HIV self-tests in low- and middle-income countries has been dominated by a single affordable oral HIV test, the OraSure.

That test is sold at cost in a limited number of poorer countries for $2, but elsewhere the price is higher, and other options have cost significantly more.

Eight million unaware of status

To try to fix that problem, Unitaid and US non-profit Population Services International (PSI) launched a call for proposals last July on ways to drive forward access to the tests.

The result was the Viatris deal, which Unitaid said should significantly expand the market and give countries more choice when it comes to self-tests.

This, Verhoosel said, would make "it easier to acquire the products and embed them in health systems, with the ultimate aim of helping the eight million people estimated to be unaware of their HIV status know they are infected and get treatment."

Meg Doherty, who heads the World Health Organization's global HIV, hepatitis and STI programmes, hailed "the wider availability of affordable HIV self-testing kits to increase access to testing."

She said Wednesday's announcement was timely at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic had in many places complicated access to a range of HIV services.

Self-testing allows "people to test when other options are difficult to access or restricted," she said.

In addition to Viatris, Unitaid said another recently developed blood-based HIV self-test from US-based health care company Abbott Laboratories, which is currently undergoing regulatory review, would also be part of the expanded Unitaid programme, which would see around one million tests distributed "to stimulate in-country demand".

Poorer countries are set to see their access to HIV self-tests increase dramatically following a deal to slash prices in half and boost production, Unitaid said Wednesday.

Poorer countries are set to see their access to HIV self-tests increase dramatically following a deal to slash prices in half and boost production, Unitaid said Wednesday. The international health agency said it had closed a deal with US-based global healthcare company Viatris that will see blood-based HIV self-tests made available for under $2 across 135 low and middle-income countries. HIV self-tests are seen as vital tools to help people more easily discover their status and move towards the treatment they need, and thus also to reducing the HIV burden globally. This is particularly relevant in poorer countries, where concerns around stigma and difficulties accessing healthcare can create significant barriers, said Unitaid, which works on innovations on major diseases. "Access to self-tests has been recognised as a key factor in meeting the global goal of 90 per cent of people knowing their HIV status," Unitaid spokesman Herve Verhoosel said in a statement. In just the past six years, that rate has nearly doubled, from 45 to 81 per cent, he said. But achieving broader testing has been hampered by the fact that the market for HIV self-tests in low- and middle-income countries has been dominated by a single affordable oral HIV test, the OraSure. That test is sold at cost in a limited number of poorer countries for $2, but elsewhere the price is higher, and other options have cost significantly more. Eight million unaware of status To try to fix that problem, Unitaid and US non-profit Population Services International (PSI) launched a call for proposals last July on ways to drive forward access to the tests. The result was the Viatris deal, which Unitaid said should significantly expand the market and give countries more choice when it comes to self-tests. This, Verhoosel said, would make "it easier to acquire the products and embed them in health systems, with the ultimate aim of helping the eight million people estimated to be unaware of their HIV status know they are infected and get treatment." Meg Doherty, who heads the World Health Organization's global HIV, hepatitis and STI programmes, hailed "the wider availability of affordable HIV self-testing kits to increase access to testing." She said Wednesday's announcement was timely at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic had in many places complicated access to a range of HIV services. Self-testing allows "people to test when other options are difficult to access or restricted," she said. In addition to Viatris, Unitaid said another recently developed blood-based HIV self-test from US-based health care company Abbott Laboratories, which is currently undergoing regulatory review, would also be part of the expanded Unitaid programme, which would see around one million tests distributed "to stimulate in-country demand".

HIV self-test prices to be slashed in half in 135 countries

Gold prices held steady near a five-month peak hit early on Monday, supported by a disappointing US&nbsp;jobs report that fuelled speculation that the Federal Reserve may stop raising interest rates sooner than expected.

Spot gold was up 0.1 per cent at $1,248.96 per ounce, as of 0432 GMT, after hitting its highest since July 11 at $1,250.55 earlier in the session.

US&nbsp;gold futures rose 0.1 per cent to $1,254.2 per ounce.

US&nbsp;non-farm payrolls increased by 155,000 jobs last month, below economists' median forecast of 200,000 jobs and the wage increase was softer than expected.

Some Fed policymakers have struck a cautious tone about the economic outlook, possibly flagging a turning point in its monetary policy.

Gold tends to gain when rate hike expectations recede because lower rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Lower interest rates also tend to weigh on US&nbsp;yields and the dollar, in which gold is priced.

"There is also some safe-haven demand coming back in gold," said Argonaut Securities analyst Helen Lau.

The dollar slipped against the yen and the euro, while global stocks extended their slump on worries over slowing growth and fears that a fresh flare-up in tensions between US&nbsp;and China could quash chances of a trade deal.

"A number of tailwinds are in place for it (gold) to move significantly higher during the month including falling US interest rates, a declining or at least a stalling dollar, wobbly US&nbsp;equity markets," INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir said in a note.

"Over the course of December, we see prices trading between $1,230-$1,285 per ounce."

Meanwhile, holdings in SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.20 per cent to 759.73 tonnes on Friday.

Spot gold may rise into a range of $1,258-$1,266 per ounce, as it has broken a resistance at $1,245, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.

Among other precious metals, spot silver was down 0.2 per cent at $14.59 per ounce, while palladium slipped 0.6 per cent to $1,217.10.

Platinum fell 0.3 to $787.80 per ounce. Prices had slipped to their lowest level since September&nbsp;12 to $779 in the previous session.

Gold prices held steady near a five-month peak hit early on Monday, supported by a disappointing US jobs report that fuelled speculation that the Federal Reserve may stop raising interest rates sooner than expected.

Gold prices held steady near a five-month peak hit early on Monday, supported by a disappointing US jobs report that fuelled speculation that the Federal Reserve may stop raising interest rates sooner than expected. Spot gold was up 0.1 per cent at $1,248.96 per ounce, as of 0432 GMT, after hitting its highest since July 11 at $1,250.55 earlier in the session. US gold futures rose 0.1 per cent to $1,254.2 per ounce. US non-farm payrolls increased by 155,000 jobs last month, below economists' median forecast of 200,000 jobs and the wage increase was softer than expected. Some Fed policymakers have struck a cautious tone about the economic outlook, possibly flagging a turning point in its monetary policy. Gold tends to gain when rate hike expectations recede because lower rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Lower interest rates also tend to weigh on US yields and the dollar, in which gold is priced. "There is also some safe-haven demand coming back in gold," said Argonaut Securities analyst Helen Lau. The dollar slipped against the yen and the euro, while global stocks extended their slump on worries over slowing growth and fears that a fresh flare-up in tensions between US and China could quash chances of a trade deal. "A number of tailwinds are in place for it (gold) to move significantly higher during the month including falling US interest rates, a declining or at least a stalling dollar, wobbly US equity markets," INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir said in a note. "Over the course of December, we see prices trading between $1,230-$1,285 per ounce." Meanwhile, holdings in SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.20 per cent to 759.73 tonnes on Friday. Spot gold may rise into a range of $1,258-$1,266 per ounce, as it has broken a resistance at $1,245, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao. Among other precious metals, spot silver was down 0.2 per cent at $14.59 per ounce, while palladium slipped 0.6 per cent to $1,217.10. Platinum fell 0.3 to $787.80 per ounce. Prices had slipped to their lowest level since September 12 to $779 in the previous session.

Gold rate stabilizes post five-month peak on easing rate hike view

The drug-pricing regulator, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), asked the health ministry to add four more medical devices to a list of equipment for price control in order to bring their prices down, Reuters reported.

On February 14, the medical regulator had capped the prices of coronary stents used in cardiac surgery. The move provided a huge relief to those who have to undergo cardiac surgery.

The union health ministry had included the coronary stents under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).

Drugs and medical equipment which are included in the list have to be sold at the prices decided by the NPPA.

The NPPA had said that it did not plan any further measures but in a letter sent to the union health ministry seen by Reuters, NPPA Chairman Bhupendra Singh said the essential medicines list should also include balloons, cardiac catheters, and covered as well as peripheral stents, &quot;as soon as possible&quot;, Reuters reported.

According to Singh, hospitals charged more for these devices, which are used in heart surgeries, in order to compensate for lower stent prices.&nbsp;

&quot;It has been found that after the price control of cardiac stents several hospitals have increased the various &#39;procedure charges&#39; in order to compensate for their losses,&quot; Singh said in the letter, without elaborating on how the discovery was made.

&quot;In some cases the cost of balloons and catheters have been charged at (a) much higher level than the cost of (the) stent itself,&quot; he wrote.

After the February decision to include coronary stents in the price control list, Medtronic and Abbott Laboratories tried to withdraw their stents but the proposal was rejected.

Boston Scientific Corp asked for a revision of price cap but that request was turned down by a government panel, Reuters said.

Medical devices industry had objected to the decision saying the move will affect innovation and hamper investment.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

In February, the government capped the prices of coronary stents used in cardiac surgeries

The drug-pricing regulator, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), asked the health ministry to add four more medical devices to a list of equipment for price control in order to bring their prices down, Reuters reported. On February 14, the medical regulator had capped the prices of coronary stents used in cardiac surgery. The move provided a huge relief to those who have to undergo cardiac surgery. The union health ministry had included the coronary stents under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). Drugs and medical equipment which are included in the list have to be sold at the prices decided by the NPPA. The NPPA had said that it did not plan any further measures but in a letter sent to the union health ministry seen by Reuters, NPPA Chairman Bhupendra Singh said the essential medicines list should also include balloons, cardiac catheters, and covered as well as peripheral stents, "as soon as possible", Reuters reported. According to Singh, hospitals charged more for these devices, which are used in heart surgeries, in order to compensate for lower stent prices. "It has been found that after the price control of cardiac stents several hospitals have increased the various 'procedure charges' in order to compensate for their losses," Singh said in the letter, without elaborating on how the discovery was made. "In some cases the cost of balloons and catheters have been charged at (a) much higher level than the cost of (the) stent itself," he wrote. After the February decision to include coronary stents in the price control list, Medtronic and Abbott Laboratories tried to withdraw their stents but the proposal was rejected. Boston Scientific Corp asked for a revision of price cap but that request was turned down by a government panel, Reuters said. Medical devices industry had objected to the decision saying the move will affect innovation and hamper investment. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

India's drug price regulator wants 4 more devices to be included in price control list: Report

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