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AIDS Experts Oppose CAFTA Agreement
AIDS Experts Oppose CAFTA Agreement
Published 07-21-05
Submitted by Global Aids Alliance
Today at 1pm ET Global AIDS Alliance will co-sponsor a press conference by telephone to explain why many health advocates are opposing the treaty. Dr. Paul Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance, stated:
"Why would Members of Congress vote for a treaty that will hurt the fight against the worst epidemic the world has ever seen? It's hard to fathom.
How can members like Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY), Harold Ford (D-TN) and Rep.b Vic Snyder (D-AR), who support the fight against AIDS, even consider backing this treaty?
This treaty gives special benefits to the brand-name pharmaceutical industry. It blocks competition from generic manufacturers. The result is that only the wealthy in these countries will be able to buy many critical medicines.
Honduras and the Dominican Republic have an HIV prevalence three times what we have in the US. The last thing these countries need is to have their hands tied as they tackle this problem.
Many patients find they can no longer use the typical, initial course of treatment, and they must take so-called 'second-line' drugs. But, these medications are extremely expensive. These prices will stay high and go even higher if trade treaties like DR-CAFTA discourage or even prevent the production of generic versions.
The President's own AIDS program will eventually be hamstrung by this and other US-backed treaties, because it will need to purchase second-line drugs in large quantities.
The claim that this issue has been resolved by a 'side letter' protecting access to drugs is simply not true. The White House ignored instructions from Congress to protect access to medicine in this treaty. Then, when people objected, it issued a letter promising the treaty would not limit access. But this letter is non-binding and carries no real legal weight.
This is not about maintaining an incentive for research, since the Central American market is small. This is about brand-name manufacturers' putting profit above public health and their hope that this treaty will set a precedent for all other trade agreements."
