Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia - September 17, 1999
U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky said the United States had agreed to support South Africa's efforts to obtain cheaper AIDS medicines in exchange for promises that the measures would not violate drug companies' patent rights.
"The government of South Africa is battling a very serious AIDS pandemic," Barshefsky said in a statement. "The United States government fully supports President (Thabo) Mbeki and his government in their effort to combat this problem and is committed to do whatever it can to help."
Pressed by drug makers, U.S. officials had objected to a South African law that could allow local manufacturers to make cheaper, generic copies of AIDS drugs or import medicines from a third party.
Pharmaceutical companies said those measures, unless used under limited circumstances, violated their patent rights and threatened investment in future AIDS medicines.
Growing at Alarming Rate
South Africa has one of the faster-growing rates of the disease in sub-Sahara Africa, estimated at 1,500 new HIV infections a day.
The U.S. policy had outraged AIDS, health and consumer activists around the world. Activists from the AIDS group ACT-UP had targeted their anger at Gore, who had raised U.S. concerns in meetings with Mbeki. Protesters embarrassed Gore on the campaign trail with signs and chants.
Friday, Eric Sawyer, a protest organizer, praised the deal with South Africa as an advancement in providing impoverished AIDS patients with life-extending medicines.
"I think it's a terrific step toward providing affordable medicine to poor people living in countries like South Africa," Sawyer said.
Drug Makers' Patents Protected
The deal also satisfied drug makers, who said they were pleased South Africa had pledged to abide by agreements on patent protection.
"We think that's fine" said Jeff Trewhitt, a spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a trade association. Trewhitt added, however, the agreement was general, and drugs makers would scrutinize its implementation.
The pact comes on the eve of Mbeki's first trip to the United States since he succeeded Nelson Mandela in June.
Mbeki will visit New York next week and meet with Gore and possibly President Clinton.
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