Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - July 14, 2004
Apiradee Treerutkuarkul
About 50 protesters yesterday stormed a forum taking place at the 15th International Aids Conference shouting "Let Us Free" and waving placards opposing patent protection on Aids drugs.
The protesters also blasted United States President George W Bush's policy on the issue.
Their protest eventually forced Hank McKinnell, the chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer, to abandon his speech.
Walden Bello, executive director of Focus on the Global South, a non-governmental organisation fighting for the rights of developing countries, charged that big pharmaceutical companies were responsible for creating obstacles to HIV/AIDs patients' access to cheap medication. They were more concerned about their own rights and profits than saving the lives of HIV/Aids patients, he said.
Mr McKinnell, however, responded that people should consider HIV/Aids, rather than intellectual property rights and patent drugs, as an enemy.
The Pfizer chariman defended his company, saying it was willing to cooperate with any governments and developing countries that were in need of research and development technology in order to be able to make quality drugs available to HIV/Aids sufferers.
Boonium Wongchaikham, leader of the Network of Northern People Living with Aids in Thailand, also protested against a planned US-Thai free trade agreement, which he said could extend patent periods for more than 25 years.
The agreement would give pharmaceutical companies a chance to monopolise the pharmaceutical market in Thailand, as well as block people access to inexpensive Aids drugs, Mr Boonium said.
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