Quality of Antiretroviral Drugs Analyzed in the Drug Analysis and Research Unit During 2000-2003

During the period 2000-2003 the Drug Analysis and Research Unit received and analyzed 33 samples of antiretroviral drugs. Locally manufactured products accounted for 57.6 % of the samples, while the imported drugs constituted 42.4 %. The drugs consisted of single, double and triple component preparations. They were subjected to the identity, assay and dissolution tests. 30 samples (90.9 %) complied with compedial specifications for these tests, while 3 failed. The results obtained show that manufacture of quality generic antiretroviral drugs is achievable. Key Words: Antiretroviral, assay, dissolution, nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor East & Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol.6(1) 2003: 20-2