Cost of providing anti-retroviral therapy 1. A third section highlights other costs which may be important, especially in developing countries. The cost of the ARVs themselves are shown in Table 1 below. These costs are substantial. However, it is important to note that large reductions in these costs may be possible when drugs are purchased in bulk.
Few data are available concerning their cost.
Those cost data which could be accessed are shown in Table 3. They are included here for guidance only. Many of the costs quoted in Table 3 above are based on US cost data, where the costs of shipping equipment and supplies will be relatively low because they can be domestically produced. In developing countries where these items will probably have to be imported from countries a considerable distance away, costs are likely to be higher. In addition, in developing countries laboratories may have to be strengthened considerably if they are to be capable of providing the diagnostic and monitoring support necessary for provision of ARV therapy.