Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Chicago Tribune - July 5, 2007
Bruce Japsen, Tribune staff reporter, bjapsen@tribune.com
Brazil is among an increasing number of countries playing hardball with the drug industry over prices it pays to treat its citizens with the HIV virus.
This spring, for example, Brazil moved to break a patent held by Merck & Co. on one of the New Jersey company's AIDS drugs by agreeing to import a cheaper generic version from a company in India.
In Abbott's case, there is no generic version of Kaletra tablets. Abbott confirmed it will charge Brazil 73 cents a pill this year and 63 cents next year. Brazil has been paying $1.04 per pill. The move will save Brazil $10 million a year, Abbott said.
Brazil now pays what Abbott in March said it would charge 45 developing nations.
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