Wall Street Journal - May 15, 2001
Mark Schoofs, Staff Reporter

LONDON -- The board of directors for mining giant Anglo American PLC heard a proposal for offering AIDS drugs to its low-skilled African workers.

Anglo American is preparing to run a clinical trial to answer some of the thorniest questions, including how to help workers adhere to the complex therapies and cope with side effects. The trial will also analyze costs and benefits. Anglo American is one of the largest employers in Africa, with 160,000 workers there, of whom about 20% are thought to be infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Anglo American executives have said that providing treatment will help the company manage the epidemic and may save the company money in the long run. While Anglo American hasn't yet committed to treating its work force, its serious consideration to provide the so-called antiretroviral drugs -- which have slashed AIDS death rates in the U.S., Europe, and Brazil -- have been welcomed by activists in South Africa.

Anglo American's plans have been made possible by the large price cuts for AIDS drugs in developing countries recently offered by pharmaceuticals companies. Those price cuts, which in some cases are 90% off the American price tag, came in response to public pressure and to competition from low-priced generic AIDS drugs made by companies based in India.

Write to Mark Schoofs at mark.schoofs@wsj.com

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