Activists Call for Cheaper HIV Meds Across the Globe
Health advocates from 15 different countries met earlier this week in New Delhi to discuss ways to make HIV medications cheaper across the globe, the Hindustan Timesreports (hindustantimes.com, 4/22).
The meeting—which united civil society leaders from Brazil, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Kenya and other countries—addressed ways in which countries can bypass enforcement of intellectual property rights to ensure that otherwise-patented drugs get into the hands of those who need them most.
The article notes that governments in countries such as Thailand have lowered drug costs by issuing compulsory licenses on drugs treating chronic, life-threatening conditions such as HIV/AIDS and heart disease, a measure permitted under World Trade Organization regulations. The licenses allow countries to override patent restrictions to produce cheaper generic medications.
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Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
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Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
