U.S. Approves Foreign AIDS Drug For First Time

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U.S. Approves Foreign AIDS Drug For First Time

POSTED: 9:12 am EST January 26, 2005

A generic, less-expensive version of a widely used AIDS drug combination won tentative government approval Tuesday.

It's the first time the Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic AIDS drug made by a foreign drug company and is expected to expand AIDS treatment in the third world. The agency reviewed the drug in less than two weeks.

The approval is part of an expedited review process begun last year after criticism of the Bush administration for refusing to fund the purchase of drugs that hadn't been reviewed by the FDA. Activists said the administration was trying to boost sales for U.S. drug makers at the expense of AIDS patients in developing countries.

The new approval is for a two-pill package made by South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare.

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