title: The efficacy of a US-based medicine recycling program delivering antiretroviral drugs worldwide.
abstract: Since 1996, AID FOR AIDS International (AFAI) has collected unused antiretroviral drugs (ART) and ;;recycled'' these medications to over 600 people living with human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS abroad under its AIDS Treatment Access Program. The investigators evaluated AIDS Treatment Access Program's efficacy using immunologic and virologic outcomes. Of the 404 eligible clients who had baseline and follow-up CD4 counts, mean baseline versus most recent measure was 230 + 222 cells/mm( 3) versus 372 + 256 cells/mm(3) (P < .01). Of the 216 eligible clients who had baseline (>400 copies/mL) and follow-up viral loads, 62% (134/ 216) had undetectable viral loads (<400 copies/mL) at their most recent measure. Median enrollment time in the recycling program was 3.1 years (range: 6 months to 9.5 years). AFAI's medication recycling program is efficacious in reaching and improving the clinical outcomes of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Such programs should be considered a viable option among scale-up programs until governments provide universal access of ART to PLWHA.
authors.affiliation: Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, New York 11501, USA. PPatrick@winthrop.org
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: Arek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jibilian
authors.forename: Omarys
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Herasme
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valencia
authors.forename: Eduardo C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jurado
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aguais
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007390:International Agencies; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014480:United Nations; D014481:United States; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents