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Kilmister says the new Kaletra pill is helpful but there are other advances which are also needed, such as a triple drug pill "which is not likely to happen here for some time."
HIV treatment specialists are also understood to be urging Medsafe and Pharmac to approve four-drug combinations for use and funding in New Zealand. Currently only three HIV drugs at a time are funded by Pharmac, but specialists see advantages in prescribing four drugs. Each HIV drug works against the virus in different ways and the greater the number of drugs ranged against the virus the greater chance there is of reducing HIV's phenomenal replication rate to levels which the body can handle and remain healthy.
Meanwhile, New Zealanders with HIV are about to be asked to participate in a two-year long trial into HIV drug effectiveness. "This is a trial comparing two different treatment regimens following failure of the patient's first HIV treatment regimen," says noted HIV specialist Mark Thomas of Auckland Public Hospital. Body Positive says the research will be highly valuable in the fine tuning of HIV medication usage.
With its relatively small population of HIV positive people compared to larger nations, New Zealand is rarely involved in such projects.
