April 1999
Merrill Goozner
"Third World Battles for AIDS Drugs"
The Chicago Tribune
It is no secret the AIDS epidemic is
taking its steepest toll in the poorest regions of the
world. And while there have been significant strides in
treating HIV + patients, cutting-edge medication is priced
out of reach for the vast majority of AIDS sufferers. Some
third world countries have tried to bridge this gap by
licensing local firms to manufacture low-cost generic
versions of patented anti-AIDS drugs. The World Trade
Organization allows countries to provide these licenses if
it is done to combat a national emergency. But as Merrill
Goozner points out in his well-researched and hard-hitting
piece, pharmaceutical companies, fearing a drop in profits,
have lobbied the U.S. government to retaliate against
countries allowing for cheaper manufacture of AIDS
medication. The Clinton administration has been succumbing
to the pressure, reports Goozner, pushing countries to
repeal their licensing laws. As a result, thousands of
disease sufferers around the world could be forced to go
without treatment that could keep them alive.
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