Q1.What did you learn about AIDS prevention strategies?
One learned that one of the strategies to prevent AIDS is through educational campaigns. People are informed of the causes of AIDS and how it is transmitted. Aside from educational campaigns, some governments have developed programmes where home care doctors and nurses visit AIDS patients. Mobile clinics go around the far-flung areas to take care of AIDS victims. Mobilizing NGOs, who coordinate with the government is another strategy being done to prevent AIDS. Another important strategy is not only to take care of AIDS patients but also to prevent the transmission of AIDS from mother to child. Free tests are given to identify those who are afflicted with AIDS. Political lobbying is also done to push pharmaceutical companies to reduce prices of antiretroviral drugs.
Q2. What did you learn about the obstacles governments and individuals face in accessing antiretroviral drugs in countries of the global South?
The main obstacle faced by governments and individuals is the high cost of antiretroviral drugs. People in the South do not have access to the drugs because they could not afford it. The antiretroviral drugs that the multinational companies developed are too expensive. The TRIPS agreement prevents other countries from developing their own generic drugs for AIDS cure because these drugs are not included in the Essential Drugs list. As an example, when Thailand and South Africa developed its own antiretroviral drug, the pharmaceutical companies claimed that such move is considered piracy and they were threatened with trade sanctions if they continue to manufacture the drug.
Q3. What is the criticism leveled against pharmaceutical companies and the TRIPS agreement?
It is said that big pharmaceutical companies realize a 22 percent profit per year. Multinational companies have patents for most of the antiretroviral drugs; thus, even if the other countries develop their own antiretroviral drugs, they are prohibited by the TRIPS agreement. The video claims that pharmaceutical companies donate huge sums to community-based projects and governments; thus, they are able to exert some pressure and given special accommodations by governments with regards to patent protection. If only the pharmaceutical companies will reduce the prices of the antiretroviral drugs and allow other poor countries to develop their own antiretroviral drugs, the AIDS problem will be slowly eradicated.
It is argued that the pharmaceutical companies claim that they have to increase the prices of their drugs to Latin American countries to support the research that they do and that if they reduce their prices, they will suffer large losses. But according to the video, this is not the case because the market of these companies is composed of 82 percent from the US, Europe and Japan. That means that only 18 per cent of the market comes from other poor countries including the Latin American countries. It is therefore contradictory that if they decrease their prices in these markets, they will be losing much money.Q4. What do you think accounts for the success of the Brazil model?
Brazil’s strategy to prevent AIDS is through the free distribution of condoms. They have developed their own generic antiretroviral drug which is a lot cheaper than those manufactured by multinational drug companies. HIV patients in Brazil have free access to these drugs and other key treatments. A noteworthy strategy of Brazil against AIDS is that they do not rely on international help for their AIDS programme, instead they developed their own drugs instead of purchasing the expensive antiretroviral drugs from large multinational companies. Brazil has a health minister who has the strong will to bring down the cost of the antiretroviral drugs by as much as 70 per cent.
Another factor which contributes to the success of the Brazil model is that there are more than 600 NGOs all over Brazil who actively work with the government for the prevention of AIDS and for the care of AIDS patients.
Works Cited
Journeymanpictures. "The cost of living -Thailand." 9 January 2008. youtube.com. 28 April 2013
—. "Winning against AIDS - Brazil." 11 January 2008. youtube.com. 28 April 2013
