MCC bowing to politicos - DA

2003-08-01 13:16

Cape Town - The decision by the Medicines Control Council to deregister nevirapine for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV indicated that it was coming under political pressure, says Democratic Alliance MP Mike Waters.

"South Africa needs a truly independent MCC, free from the health minister's (Manto Tshabalala-Msimang) control," he said on Friday.

This past week, the MCC threatened to withdraw nevirapine from use in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

"This demonstrates clearly how the capacity of the MCC to provide South Africans with an absolute guarantee about the safety and efficacy of the medicines that we rely on is being compromised by interference by the executive in pursuit of political objectives."

"Given the lack of medical basis for its decision on nevirapine, the only possible conclusion is that the MCC is bowing to political pressure from the minister... without any regard for the consequences to babies born to HIV-positive mothers."

Heavy secrecy needs to be lifted

According to Business Day, the MCC deregistered the drug this week citing apparent irregularities in the documentation arising out of clinical trials in Uganda.

Waters said: "The DA believes the council is in serious need of an overhaul."

The independence of the MCC needed to be reinforced, strong secrecy provisions needed to be lifted and the MCC needed to commit itself to a code of good practice, said Waters.

"Pharmaceutical industry representatives, consultants to the industry and government officials have painted a picture of large and growing backlogs in registration applications, of an inspectorate no longer functioning adequately, and of chronic staff and skills shortages."

Waters said a thorough review should be carried out into the MCC's operation.

"Independent consultants must be put in charge of drawing up a restructuring plan to ensure that resources are deployed effectively and efficiently. The MCC has become increasingly bureaucratic and extravagant".

But, the health minister defended the MCC's decision and was quoted in Business Day as saying that: "We can't have something that's only good for Africa and not good for developed countries."

- I-Net Bridge (Business)