Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. |
AIDS TREATMENT NEWS - June 29, 2006
John S. James
Summary: A U.S. activist campaign, centered in the San Francisco area near Gilead's headquarters, helped get this major price reduction for Brazil's model HIV treatment program.
In May 2006 Gilead Sciences agreed to cut the price it charges to Brazil for tenofovir by half.
For ten years Brazil has run a program to provide antiretroviral treatment to all Brazilians who need it, greatly reducing AIDS deaths. Many of the drugs are manufactured in Brazil but others are imported, and a handful of these, previously including tenofovir, have created a major financial strain. Brazil spends over $400 million a year to provide antiretrovirals to 170,000 people.
Contributing to the price reduction was a model U.S. activist campaign, asking people to politely call corporate board members, and urge them to use their influence to help make medicines available worldwide. For more information see
www.globalexchange.org
(written before the price reduction was announced).
2006-06-29
ATN060608
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