Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times - Sunday, 14 December 2003
Adele Shevel
It was a case of big business up against the disenfranchised and poor who cannot get access to expensive drugs.
This week's victory was the result of a complaint to the Competition Commission, brought against the two pharmaceutical companies.
The petite but feisty Tau is an HIV-positive woman who nearly collapsed 14 months ago after announcing the litigation at a news briefing. She found out later that the CD4 count in her blood had fallen to nine.
The CD4 count shows the body's ability to fight opportunistic diseases. If it goes below 200, doctors recommend antiretroviral therapy.
"I didn't have the money to pay for antiretrovirals," said Tau this week. An anonymous donor had sponsored the R1,200 a month she required for antiretrovirals.
She was diagnosed with HIV in 1991. She is the sole breadwinner in her family, but she earns just more than R4,000 a month.
She said the pharmaceutical companies should understand it is not about business, but about saving lives. "GlaxoSmithKline and Boehringer Ingelheim have taken a long time to respond and lives have been lost. This is the last mistake they can make," she said.
031214
ST031204
Copyright © 2003 - The Sunday Times. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Sunday Times Permissions Desk.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2003. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2003. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .