Unitaid supports further investigation of findings from an independent study, released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 18, that identifies a potential link between use of HIV drug dolutegravir (DTG) and birth defects.

The study, funded by the US National Institutes of Health in Botswana, found a rate of neural tube defects in newborns higher than expected in women who became pregnant while taking dolutegravir.

Unitaid is working closely with WHO and partners to ensure that the proper steps are taken to avoid potential exposure to dolutegravir of women who might become pregnant.

Dolutegravir was approved in 2013 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat HIV in combination regimens. It has since become the drug of choice for people living with HIV in many countries because it is more easily tolerated and less susceptible to resistance than previous regimens.

Unitaid is supporting a number of projects to evaluate use of dolutegravir in low and middle-income countries. The aim of the programs is to help WHO in its efforts to draw up guidelines and to facilitate adoption by countries of the best available antiretroviral regimens.

WHO’s statement: https://bit.ly/2Le1i7w