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VIRAL APARTHEID
LOCAL AIDS RELIEF PROVIDERS RENOUNCE GLAXO
PHARMACEUTICAL'S SOUTH AFRICAN LAWSUIT
Cleveland (OH) Free Times
by Deacon Kelvin Berry; Sister Marian Durkin, CSA;
Rev. Marvin McMickle;
Earl Pike; and Rev. Max Rodas
03.07.01
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Opening arguments began this week in South Africa. On one side
of the legal divide is an international consortium of pharmaceutical
companies, led by GlaxoSmithKline, trying to protect their HIV/AIDS
drug markets and interests around the world. On the other side is
South Africa, which is trying to access cheaper AIDS drugs through
importation from other countries. The law is on the side of the
industry. Justice is on the side of South Africa, which is, after
all, furiously battling a viral firestorm. They're just trying to
save a nation.
Once this claim is resolved - whatever the outcome - it's likely
that other lawsuits will follow. GlaxoSmithKline has been threatening
legal action in the case of Ghana, which is importing generic AIDS
drugs from a manufacturer in India. GlaxoSmithKline - a new corporate
entity resulting from the merger of Glaxo Welcome and SmithKline
Beecham - reported 2000 revenues of $27 billion, and a profit of
$6.4 billion. In 1998, Ghana's GDP was just barely $33 billion.
There are 19 million people in Ghana. It is estimated that one million
Ghanaians are living with HIV/AIDS. If the same prevalence were
true for the United States, there would be nearly 13 million Americans
living with HIV/AIDS.
GlaxoSmithKline holds the rights to AZT, among other pharmaceuticals.
When produced generically, it's a relatively inexpensive drug. Properly
prescribed for pregnant women with HIV, AZT can substantially reduce
the chances of mother-to-child transmission. It's a no-brainer:
One of the cheapest and most dramatic steps we can take to stem
the tide of HIV infection in Africa, and throughout the world, is
to make AZT and nevarapine (another drug that accomplishes the same
goal) available, under clinically managed conditions, to every pregnant
woman with HIV. We can, if we have the will, virtually stop new
infections.
Last year Glaxo Welcome gave the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland
$2,000. That represented a tiny portion of the ATGC annual budget.
It has made small donations to Proyecto Luz, AGAPE, and The Open
House. All of us have worked hard to nurture effective working relationships
with the pharmaceutical companies, and where the interests of people
with HIV/AIDS will be served, we will continue to do so. Our local
representative for Glaxo has always been extremely helpful, and
we appreciate his assistance.
But this time, the interests of people with HIV/AIDS are not being
well served, and we must protest. It's certainly not much money,
but until the lawsuit is resolved, and resolved in a way that benefits
people with HIV/AIDS in South Africa, we won't be accepting any
more contributions from GlaxoSmithKline.
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