AFRO-NETS> Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report - Mon, 5 Nov 2001

[Cecilia Snyder <csnyder@ccmc.org>]

Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report - Mon, 5 Nov 2001
----------------------------------------------

*HIV 'Virgin' Myth Suspected Behind Rapes of Children in South Africa
*World Trade Talks to Address Whether Patents or Poverty Primary Bar-
 rier to AIDS Drug Access in Africa
*Ghana Developing Plans to Produce Generic Antiretroviral Drugs
*Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer Urge United States to Make $1B 
 Donation to Global Health Fund
*New York Times, Economist Criticize Mbeki's Recent Statements on 
 HIV/AIDS

 
Global challenges

HIV 'Virgin' Myth Suspected Behind Rapes of Children in South Africa

Six men have been charged with raping a nine-month-old South African 
baby, allegedly because they thought the act would cure them of HIV, 
the South African Press Association reports.  The attack occurred 
less than one week before two other South African girls under the age 
of four were also raped, allegedly by family members.  Northern Cape 
Health Minister Dipuo Peters said of the attacks, "I suspect that at 
least part of the reason these children were raped is because of the 
myth held in rural areas by men with HIV that they can cleanse them-
selves by having sex with a virgin." Official police statistics re-
leased on Wednesday show that between January 2000 and June 2001, 
31,780 cases of rape and attempted rape were reported among children 
in South Africa.  A number of children's organizations have criti-
cized the South African government for "not doing enough to protect 
children" from rape (South African Press Association, 10/31).  The 
African National Congress Women's League and the ANC Women's Caucus 
on Friday asked the country's courts to impose a life sentence on men 
convicted of raping "children and babies knowing they (the men) were 
HIV-positive" (South African Press Association, 11/2).  Peters said 
that although health officials are "doing their best" to educate peo-
ple about HIV/AIDS, "certain myths [are] hard to dispel" (South Afri-
can Press Association, 10/31).     

--

Drug Access
 
World Trade Talks to Address Whether Patents or Poverty Primary Bar-
rier to AIDS Drug Access in Africa

The New York Times today profiles how the debate over the patents on 
AIDS drugs will be "a major bone of contention" at the World Trade 
Organization meeting in Doha, Qatar, this week (McNeil, New York 
Times, 11/5).  WTO delegates from 52 developing countries on Sept. 19 
asked other WTO ministers to approve a proposal that would clarify 
language in the Trade-Related Aspects of International Property 
Rights (TRIPS) agreement to say that TRIPS would "not prevent govern-
ments from taking measures necessary to protect public health," in-
cluding the production or importation of generic AIDS drugs (Kaiser 
Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 10/4).  The debate over patents and access to 
AIDS drugs has been fueled by a study published in the Oct. 17 issue 
of the Journal of the American Medical Association stating that pov-
erty, not patents, is hindering access to AIDS drugs in developing 
countries.  The pharmaceutical industry and "sympathetic trade offi-
cials" in the Bush administration are citing the study in their ef-
fort to oppose the developing nations' WTO proposal.  However, AIDS 
activists say study co-author Dr. Amir Attaran "tailor[ed] and 
tim[ed]" the publication of the research to "serve the drug industry" 
during the upcoming WTO meeting. Attaran called the allegations 
"sickening," adding that he did not receive any money from drug com-
panies and that his data "was only 'a narrow case study of one drug 
category in Africa in 2001'" (New York Times, 11/5). Meanwhile, de-
veloping nations supporting the proposal for modifying TRIPS say that 
the United States is "applying a double standard" to the patent issue 
because of the government's threat to override the patent on Bayer's 
anti-anthrax drug Cipro unless Bayer cut the price of the medicine.  
Jose Viana, an adviser to Brazil's health minister, said, "Tommy 
Thompson may not know it but he became our ally when he threatened 
that patent.  He did what he thought was in the best interest of his 
country. Why can't others do the same?"  U.S. Trade Representative 
Robert Zoellick said that Thompson's actions "complied with TRIPS," 
and pharmaceutical company executives note "the patent [on Cipro] was 
never overriden" (Agovino, AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 11/3).

Solution for Patent 'Melodrama'


In an opinion piece for the New York Times, business columnist Daniel 
Akst offers a three-part solution for the patent "melodrama."  He 
states that the U.S. government should first become the sole pur-
chaser of medicines, a method employed by some European countries to 
"help offset the monopoly pricing power of patent holders."  In addi-
tion, a government panel of scientists should "designate the highest-
priority ailments based on prevalence, years of life lost and cost to 
the economy" and assign full 17-year patents to those drugs.  Medi-
cines for "lesser maladies" would receive shorter patents.  The "most 
important" part of the solution would involve the government making 
"dollar-for-dollar" matching grants to pharmaceutical companies for 
research and development in return for a 50% stake in any resulting 
patents.  Akst writes that this would allow the government to cut a 
drug's price by forgoing its profit share in times of a public health 
emergency.  The cost of this solution would be "relatively small," he 
concludes (Akst, New York Times, 11/4).          


Ghana Developing Plans to Produce Generic Antiretroviral Drugs

Ghana is developing plans to produce generic versions of antiretrovi-
ral drugs, Reuters reports.  "We're negotiating with the World Health 
Organization and the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand to map out 
how to begin production of antiretroviral drugs," Ghanaian Health 
Minister Richard Anane said.  Although a national education campaign 
prompted Ghana's HIV infection rate to fall from 4.6% in 1999 to 3.6% 
last year, the country's infection rate is still "higher than in most 
Asian countries but lower than in some other African nations."  Ghana 
received $1 million from the World Bank to purchase antiretrovirals, 
and the country has since worked out a deal with an "unnamed interna-
tional drug company" to purchase a drug regimen, which usually sells 
for $700 per patient per year, for about $30 annually per patient.  
Anane, who is leaving his current position to work for the transport 
ministry, said, "This is still too high for most ordinary Ghanaians 
to afford, which is what has made it necessary for us to strive to 
manufacture [the drugs] locally."  Anane did not say, however, "how 
soon" local production of the pharmaceuticals would begin (Sakyi-
Addo, Reuters, 11/2). 
          
--

Opinion

Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer Urge United States to Make $1B 
Donation to Global Health Fund

Stating that epidemic disease "kills millions, stymies social and 
economic growth, and leaves populations vulnerable to demographic 
leadership," a Boston Globe editorial urges the United States to 
"take a leadership role" in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and 
malaria by donating $1 billion to the United Nations' Global Fund to 
Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria for these diseases, diseases that combined 
kill more than 15,000 people a day (Boston Globe, 11/4).  The edito-
rial supports several congressional lawmakers who are currently cir-
culating letters asking colleagues to call on President Bush to ap-
prove an additional $1 billion in emergency funding for the effort 
(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 10/17). According to Dr. Joanne 
Carter, legislative director of the health activist organization Re-
sults, $1 billion would be a "meaningful down payment" and would 
"help to ensure that public health workers" in developing countries 
can "treat and monitor TB patients in a way that protects against the 
development" of drug-resistant strains.  Moreover, TB and HIV/AIDS 
are "inextricably linked," according to Dr. Lee Reichman, director of 
the New Jersey Medical School National Tuberculosis Center, as TB is 
the leading cause of death among HIV/AIDS patients worldwide.  The 
editorial concludes, "Because of the war on terrorism at home and 
abroad, there are many new claims on the budget.  But $1 billion is a 
small price to pay for a fund that will bring hope to some of the 
world's most troubled corners" (Boston Globe, 11/4).

More for Fund Will Benefit War on Terrorism

The United States has a "moral obligation to help other nations in 
need," and the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the 
Pentagon have resulted in additional reasons to contribute more money 
to the U.N. Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a 
Philadelphia Inquirer editorial states.  A contribution of $1 billion 
to the fund is "a good idea," the editorial says, noting that the war 
on terrorism will require the United States to "offer more proof that 
it is willing to use its good fortunes to promote world peace and 
prosperity."  The editorial adds that on an "even more pragmatic 
level," contributing to the fund will help Pakistan, a "critical 
partner" in the military offensive in Afghanistan and a country with 
one of the highest TB rates in the world.  The editorial concludes, 
"A significantly increased contribution to the AIDS fund sends a pow-
erful message:  Even now, as the United States leads the battle 
against terrorism, it also is committed to the world's war against 
deadly disease" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/5).  
--
New York Times, Economist Criticize Mbeki's Recent Statements on 
HIV/AIDS

Two speeches that South African President Thabo Mbeki gave last month 
in which he "downplayed the problem" of HIV/AIDS, "exaggerated the 
toxicity of antiretroviral drugs and suggested that advocates for 
treating the disease are racist" demonstrate that "he remains badly 
misinformed" about the disease, a New York Times editorial says.  
While South Africa "should be a global leader in AIDS treatment," the 
government has "done nothing" to make antiretrovirals available to 
the poor, declining to accept "international offers or free or low-
cost medication" and running "only a few programs" to reduce vertical 
transmission."  The editorial states that it is "hard to understand 
how Mbeki, a reformer in many other ways, can be so irresponsible 
about AIDS."  While "many politicians" in Mbeki's party, the African 
National Congress, "disagree with him" on HIV/AIDS, "virtually none," 
including Nelson Mandela, "speak out publicly, a testament to Mbeki's 
unhealthy level of control."  The editorial, noting that Mbeki fought 
apartheid before entering politics, concludes:  "Though it is hard to 
imagine a more malignant evil than apartheid, AIDS has already taken 
more South African lives.  If Mbeki does not begin to address the 
crisis, millions more deaths will follow" (New York Times, 11/4).

Continuing his 'Misguided Views'

In a similar vein, an article in this week's Economist says that 
Mbeki "shows no sign of giving up his misguided views on AIDS."  
While Mbeki has "invited foreign scientists" to discuss the disease 
and "enourage[d]" South Africa's Medical Research Council to develop 
vaccines, he "rejects scientific consensus" that HIV causes AIDS.  
According to MRC chief William Makgoba, Mbeki "does not care that HIV 
'has been investigated more thoroughly than almost any other virus in 
the history of science.'"  Last week, the Economist states, Mbeki 
"attacked the use" of antiretrovirals while speaking to Parliament, 
citing revised U.S. HIV treatment guidelines stating that the drugs 
carry "serious toxicities."  While the Economist concedes that the 
"side effects" of antiretrovirals "can be unpleasant," the "alterna-
tive is death," and Mbeki is "simply wrong to claim that the side ef-
fects are as dangerous as the disease."  Finally, the Economist 
states that while Mbeki's administration has "dismissed" critics of 
its HIV/AIDS policies as "stooges for greedy companies," it is "gov-
ernment intransigence, not the cost of the drugs," that is the "real 
problem" (Economist, 11/3). 
--
The Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, 
a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, by National 
Journal Group Inc. c 2001 by National Journal Group Inc. and Kaiser 
Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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