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Other scientists have also addressed the issues raised above, that "profound changes in the host immune response may account for the dramatic differences in the behaviour of the AIDS epidemic in Africa and in other developing countries." In an article in the World Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology 11, 135-143, E. Papadopulos-Eleopolus et al, wrote: " AIDS researchers in Africa, including those from the CDC and WHO, admit that immune deficiency in Africa has existed for a considerable period of time and this has not been due to HIV. " 'Tuberculosis, protein calorie malnutrition, and various parasitic diseases can all be associated with depression of cellular immunity' (Pearce, R.B. 1986 Heterosexual transmission of AIDS. Journal of the American Medical Association 256, 590-591. Piot, P. et al.)' " 'A wide range of prevalent (in Africa) protozoal and helminthic infections have been reported to induce immunodeficiency. (Clumeck, N. et al: Journal of the American Medical Association 254; New England Journal of Medicine 310.' " 'Among healthy Africans resident in a non-AIDS area, the numbers of helper and suppressor lymphocytes were the same in HTLV-III/LAV seropositive and seronegative subjects.(Biggar, R.J. et al: The Lancet II, 520-523.)' " 'Africans are frequently exposed, due to hygienic conditions and other factors, to a wide variety of viruses, including CMV, EBV, hepatitis B virus, and HSV, all of which are known to modulate the immune system.Furthermore, the Africans in the present study are at an additional risk for immunologic alterations since they are frequently afflicted with a wide variety of diseases, such as malaria, trypanosomiasis, and filariasis, that are also known to have a major effect on the immune system.(CMV=cytomegalovirus; EBV=Epstein-Barr virus; HSV=herpes simplex virus). (Quinn, T.C. et al: Journal of the American Medical Association, 257, 2617-2621.)' " When "The New Encyclopaedia Britannica" (15th Edition), discusses "immune deficiencies" it says: " There are several ways in which the protective mechanisms (of the immune system) outlined above may fail. Some are inborn, due to genetic defects in the development of one or more of the cells involved in immune responses. Others result from infectious agents that damage essential immune cells. Still others are due to poisons or to drugs administered accidentally or with the intention of curing or ameliorating other diseases. In yet other cases, the immune deficiency stems from inadequate nutrition. " Severe infections by certain parasites, such as trypanosomes, also cause immune deficiency, as do forms of cancer, but it is uncertain how this comes about. " In countries where the diet, especially that of growing children is grossly inadequate in respect to protein intake, severe malnutrition ranks as an important cause of immune deficiency. Antibody responses and cell-mediated immunity are seriously impaired, probably due to atrophy of the thymus and the consequent deficiency of helper T cells. This renders the children particularly susceptible to measles and diarrheal diseases. Fortunately, they thymus and the rest of the immune system can recover completely if adequate nutrition is restored." In its discussion of "sleeping sickness", "The Oxford English Dictionary", Second Edition, says: " Any of several similar diseases caused by protozoans of the genus Trypanosoma and transmitted by flies of the genus Glossina, prevalent in tropical Africa, and characterised by the proliferation of the trypanosomes in the blood and changes in the central nervous system leading to apathy, coma, and death." (We have inserted this definition to explain to the reader some of the diseases caused by the trypanosomes referred to in the medical texts.) Pacifici et al describe the effects of 100mg of the "recreational" drug Ecstacy used by young people at "rave parties". The 17 volunteers received one or two doses in a 24 hour period, resulting in a 30% decline in blood concentration of CD4+ cells within hours of the single dose. The CD4+ levels recovered to their former levels within the subsequent 24 hours. Among subjects who received two doses of the drug four hours apart, the decline of CD4+ cells was even more serious, reaching a level of 40% below normal. Although a day later T cell levels rose, they did not return to normal. (Pacifici R, et al: "Effects of repeated doses of MDMA ('Ecstacy') on cell-mediated immune response in humans". Life Sciences 2001; 69: 2 931 - 2 941.) Furthermore, the report claims that the effect of Ecstasy can rise to deadly levels among people living with AIDS who take protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors such as nevirapine. In another study, Pacifici et al report on the effect on the immune system of the combination of Ecstacy and alcohol, for which they used six healthy volunteers. There was a decline in CD4/CD8 cell ratio due to a decrease in both percentage and absolute terms of CD4 T-helper cells and a simultaneous increase in natural killer cells. Alcohol consumption produced a decrease in T-helper cells and B lymphocytes. The combination of MDMA and alcohol (ethanol) had the greatest suppressive effect on T cells. Drug treatment also produced also produced a large increase of immunosuppressive cytokines. (Pacifici R, et al: "Acute effects of 3,4 methylendioxymethamphetamine alone and in combination with ethanol on the immune system in humans". J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 2001; 296(1): 207-215.) Put simply, what all this means is that the drug Ecstacy on its own and in combination with alcohol suppresses the immune system. It is not difficult to see from this that, as with intravenous drug users, prolonged abuse of this drug alone and together with alcohol, can lead to acquired immune deficiency. This has nothing to do with HIV! All the scientific texts we have cited assert that there are many conditions that cause changes to the immune system, including malnutrition and various tropical diseases, themselves a manifestation and consequence of poverty and underdevelopment. To our knowledge, no serious scientist has or would question these known and provable scientific truths. Unfortunately for us, and the scientists, the omnipotent apparatus denounces these views as being non-conformist and therefore totally unacceptable. It condemns them as belonging to a school of thought categorised as "dissident" and genocidal. They must therefore be suppressed. This must be done, so they say, to save us, the Africans, from the HIV/AIDS pandemic and, according to them, the sole cause of immune deficiency, HIV. Honest medical science recognises the disastrous impact of malnutrition on us as Africans and the rest of the developing countries. An Indian article (aidscareindia.com) says: (See also: the World Health Report, 1998): " Some 40% of the 10 million deaths
among under-five children each year in the developing world are associated
with malnutrition. " In Africa.the actual number of malnourished children has, in fact, risen. In addition, natural disasters, wars, civil disturbances, and population displacement have all contributed to continuing high rates of malnutrition. " Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) constitute the single greatest cause of preventable brain damage in the fetus and infant, and of retarded psychomotor development in young children. It remains a major threat to the health and development of populations the world over, but particularly among preschool children and pregnant women in low-income countries. " Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem, and again the most vulnerable are preschool children and pregnant women in low-income countries. In children, VAD is the leading cause of preventable visual impairment and blindness.In addition, VAD significantly increases the risk of severe illness and death from common child infections, particularly diarrhoeal diseases and measles.In VAD-prevalent countries, pregnant women often experience deficiency symptoms, such as night blindness, that continue into the early period of lactation. " Iron deficiency is the world's most widespread nutritional disorder, affecting both industrialised and developing countries. In the former, iron deficiency is the main cause of anaemia. In developing countries, it is also associated with other nutrient deficiencies (folic acid, vitamin A, B12), malaria, intestinal parasitic infestations (especially hookworm, schistosomiasis and amoebiasis), and chronic infections such as HIV. " Zinc deficiency causes growth retardation or failure, diarrhoea, immune deficiencies, skin and eye lesions, delayed sexual maturation, night blindness and behavioural changes. " Inadequate dietary calcium intake is associated with a number of common, chronic medical disorders worldwide, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease (hypertension and stroke), diabetes, dyslipidaemias, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, obesity, and cancer of the colon. " Outbreaks of beriberi, pellagra and scurvy still occur among the extremely poor and underprivileged and, not infrequently, in large refugee populations. " Between 30% and 40% of all cases of cancer are preventable by feasible and appropriate diets, physical activity and maintenance of appropriate body weight." The same applies to heart disease and stroke, which accounted for 22% of deaths in South Africa in 1996. One third of the annual 55.7 million deaths in 2001 globally, were caused by heart disease and stroke, with the majority occurring in developing countries. This is a true "pandemic", propagated by the 'globalisation' of risk factors such as cigarette smoking, salty high saturated fat foods, obesity and lack of exercise. (NB: in many parts of our country, our soil suffers from zinc deficiency. This affects the plants grown in such soils, which are part of the national food supply. In addition, the staple maize meal consumed by the majority of our people comes out of the milling process completely denuded of its nutritional value. Nevertheless, because the religious faith demanded of us prescribes that we attribute all ill health to the HI Virus, it is prohibited that any of the foregoing should either be known or discussed. Any discussion focused on eliminating the zinc deficiency mentioned above falls victim to the accusation of 'fiddling while Rome burns.' Terrified of bad publicity, and keen to demonstrate that we are not fiddlers, energetically and with smiles on our faces, we fan and feed the fires that are consuming Rome!) A US-trained physician from Haiti, Paul Farmer, has written in his book "AIDS and Accusation": (University of California Press, 1993): " Although repeatedly termed a 'complete mystery' by North American academics, the epidemiology of AIDS and its silently transmitted precursor, HIV, is only superficially random. Careful review of existing data and critical assessment of the validity of certain studies allow us to conclude that the Haitian epidemic is a tragic but unsurprising component of a much larger pandemic. In the various theaters of this international scourge, whether New York or Port-au-Prince, HIV has become what Sabatier (1988) has termed a 'misery-seeking missile'. It has spread along the path of least resistance, rapidly becoming a disorder disproportionately striking the poor and vulnerable.AIDS is far more likely to join a host of other sexually transmitted diseases - including gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydia, hepatitis B, lymphogranuloma venereum, and even cervical cancer - that have already become entrenched among the poor." (Our emphases.) Not surprisingly, "the Harvard University Gazette" of March 19, 1998 carried an article entitled - "AIDS Epidemic Called Crisis Among Blacks". The article, written by William J. Cromie said: "Once considered a white epidemic in the United States, AIDS has now changed colour. "From 1985 until 1996, whites accounted for the highest percentage of AIDS infections, but the line was crossed in 1996. Cases among whites dropped from 60 percent of the total in 1985 to about 35 percent in 1997. Among blacks, cases have almost doubled, from about 25 percent to 45 percent, in the same period. "Henry Louis Gates Jr.summed up the situation this way: 'While blacks make up only 12 percent of the U.S. population they account for almost half of the cases of AIDS'. "The numbers are especially bleak for black women and children.Black women represent the highest percentage (56 percent) of all AIDS cases reported among women, and an increasing proportion of new cases (60 percent). Fifty-five percent of new infections with the AIDS virus among 20 to 24-year-olds occurs among blacks. "Among those between the ages of 24
and 44 years, three times as many black as white men died of AIDS in 1996.
Five young black women died for every white woman in the same year. "Most women, black and white, have contracted AIDS either through illegal drug use (about 45 percent) or heterosexual contact (about 38 percent). Many of the latter cases are due to having sex with men who have gotten the disease from contaminated needles. "CDC statistics show that 22 percent of all AIDS infections among men were caused by dirty needles. Black males account for 36 percent of such cases. "One in every two blacks has been tested for infection with HIV - the AIDS virus - compared with 38 percent of all Americans. Among blacks younger than 30 years the testing rate is 65 percent. Most of the testing was done during the past 12 to 18 months." As Dr Farmer of Haiti had said, five years before the Harvard article appeared, whether in New York or Port-au-Prince, HIV has spread along the path of least resistance, rapidly becoming a disorder disproportionately striking the poor and vulnerable. All of this tells us, the Africans, that poverty and underdevelopment are a major cause of premature mortality and disability among us. We are confronted by 'the larger pandemic' of poverty and underdevelopment. But the omnipotent apparatus is intent that we should not know all this. If we do, we should discount it as being of no major consequence. And yet there is a large volume of literature that addresses the critically important issue of health, poverty and underdevelopment, some of which we will now proceed to cite. The " African Institute for Scientific Research and Development" has written: " In rural Africa agriculture, health and the environment are like three sides of a triangle. As the sides define and determine the triangle, so do agriculture, health and the environment both define and determine rural development. For socio-economic development to occur attention must be paid to all the three aspects. " Despite national and international efforts to improve health for all, many communities in East Africa are still plagued with communicable and other preventable diseases such as tuberculosis, immunisable childhood diseases, nutritional disorders, maternal deaths, eye infections, injuries, and problems related to alcohol and narcotic drug abuse. " Common infections such as acute respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea, malaria and sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV/AIDS) are responsible for most of the morbidity and mortality in rural communities. The incidence of many of these diseases can be drastically reduced through community based health education, immunization, improved mother and child health care and enhanced nutrition." The University of Glasgow Department of General
Practice, "Health in Zambia and the UN AIDS Conference
in Lusaka" " At a recent conference in Lusaka the staggering proportions of the AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa was thrown into relief. With 10% of the world's population and two thirds of the world's cases of HIV, the burden of what is arguably the worst epidemic to hit mankind since the 'black death' has fallen primarily on the world's poorest nations. " With Zambia as an example, Dr Logie set the HIV epidemic in its context. The fall in life expectancy to 43 years has not only followed on from an ever increasing incidence of HIV but has been in the context of a 30% cut in spending on education and a 50% cut in spending on health. In a country which 20 years ago had a well developed schooling and health care service, diseases of poverty such as TB, waterborne diseases and malaria are on the increase, as are maternal and infant mortality indicators. One quarter of children are undernourished and one half of the country has no access to safe water. Three quarters of girls and a half of all children do not now complete primary education. Four fifths of the population live on less than 60p a day. " Zambia owes the rest of the world, primarily the World Bank and the IMF, $6.5 Billion, more than twice the country's gross national product. The debt must be serviced at $200 million per annum, regardless of the cost to health, education or nutrition. This amounts to one half of all export earnings. Seven times as much is spent on servicing its debt as it can afford to spend on health care. The cuts in education and health care spending have been driven by structural re-adjustments demanded by the World Bank. These have included introducing user fees for health and education and placing a limit on state responsibilities. (see Table 1). " There is urgent need for action to challenge the selective blindness of a global economic system incapable of taking the radical steps necessary to provide stability and hope in an entire continent facing a bleak future. The positive first steps of the British government to cancel the debts of the world's 25 poorest countries, albeit with heavy pre-conditions, are to be supported and more drastic steps urged. As health professionals we have a duty to research and highlight the damaging impact on health of imposed Western economic re-adjustments and to unequivocally condemn the intolerable burden of unsustainable debt." For its part, the "African Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences", Volume 1 No. 1 August 2001, Abstracts, published the article: CO-EXISTENCE OF OVER- AND UNDERNUTRITION RELATED DISEASES IN LOW INCOME, HIGH-BURDEN COUNTRIES: A contribution towards the 17th IUNS congress of nutrition, Vienna, Austria 2001 Rutengwe R., Oldewage-Theron W, Oniang'o
R & Vorster H.H. " About one third of the world's population suffer from micronutrient deficiencies and hundreds of millions suffer from chronic diseases of lifestyle. Prevalence rates, particularly low birth weight, stunting and underweight, remain high particularly in Eastern Africa and South Central Asia. More than a third of all children in developing countries remain constrained in their physical growth and cognitive development. The 1990 ambitious goal of halving childhood underweight prevalence by the year 2000 has not been achieved by most countries. Global progress in fighting malnutrition is slow and crippled by rapid increase of both communicable and non-communicable diseases, the so-called "double burden of disease". About 115 million people suffered from obesity related diseases in the year 2000. Overweight and obesity (globesity) prevalence is advancing rapidly in developing countries. " Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and stroke as one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity globally, will continue to be first and second leading causes of death in the world. Most developing countries, including South Africa, currently are in the process of transition and experiencing the double burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases in which chronic diseases of lifestyle such as CVD have emerged while the battle against infectious diseases has not been won. In the last few years the HIV/AIDS epidemic has spread extremely rapidly and is likely to double overall mortality rates, undermine child survival and halve the life expectancy over the next five years." (Our emphases). The US Environmental Research Foundation published an article on February 5, 1998, entitled: "Poverty Makes You Sick" " Numerous studies in England and the U.S. have shown consistently that a person's place in the social order strongly affects health and longevity. It now seems well-established that poverty and social rank are the most important factors determining health - more important even than smoking. " George Kaplan and his colleagues at the University of California at Berkeley measured inequality in the 50 (US) states as the percentage of total household income received by the less well of 50% of households. (British Medical Journal, Vol 312, April 20, 1996: 999-1003.) It ranged from 17% in Louisiana and Mississippi to 23% in Utah and New Hampshire. In other words, by this measure, Utah and New Hampshire have the most EQUAL distribution of income, while Louisiana and Mississippi have the most UNEQUAL distribution of income. " This measure of income inequality was then compared to the age-adjusted death rate for all causes of death, and a pattern emerged: the more unequal the distribution of income, the greater the death rate. For example in Louisiana and Mississippi the age-adjusted death rate is about 960 per 100,000 people, while in New Hampshire it is about 780 per 100,000 and in Utah it is about 710 per 100,000 people. Adjusting these results for average income in each state did not change the picture: in other words, it is the gap between rich and poor within each state, and not the average income of each state, that best predicts the death rate. " Isn't it time that the public health community - physicians, public health specialists, and environmentalists - recognised that poverty, inequality and racism cause sickness and death? Given what science now tells us, medical policy - including medical training - should aim to combat and eliminate poverty, inequality, and racism just as it now aims to combat and eliminate infectious diseases and cancer. With U.S. health care costs now exceeding $1 trillion each year, anti-poverty and anti-racism initiatives would be economically efficient as well as humane." (Our emphasis). A British medical journal aimed at medical students, Student BMJ Vol 9, June 2001, published: " Poverty and Health" by Mike Rowson in which he says: " Poverty is the number one killer in the world today, outranking smoking as the leading cause of death.(Our emphasis). " Health professionals need to promote interdepartmental cooperation and action by governments to promote better education, water, and sanitation and other services which improve the lives of the poor. The diseases of poverty cannot be tackled without concerted economic and political action." The series, Current Infectious Disease Reports 3:1-3, 2001, published an article: "The Unacceptable Costs of the Diseases of Poverty" by Richard L. Guerrant, M.D., University of Virginia School of Medicine, USA, in which he writes: " Poverty and lack of sanitation result in high-risk behaviours and malabsorption-inducing enteric infections. Thus the complex interactions of such societal issues as poverty and lack of basic sanitation in areas where only suboptimal therapeutic regimens are affordable may drive the resistant microbes that threaten us all. " The most important medical/health advance of our century will be the discovery and realisation of the true costs of the diseases of poverty. (Guerrant's emphasis.) " The lessons of tropical and resistant infectious diseases are that only with a recognition of their root causes linked to poverty will we apply readily available technologies and develop new tools for their control. Only this recognition will determine whether we shall or shall not chart a secure future for ourselves and those who follow." The campaign US "World Hunger Year" said: " In the last 50 years, almost 400 million people worldwide have died from hunger, hunger-related diseases and poor sanitation. That's three times the number of people killed in all wars fought in the entire 20th century. (Above information provided by Bread for the World Institute). " Each day in the developing world, 30, 500 children die from preventable diseases such as diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections or malaria. Malnutrition is associated with over half of those deaths. (Above information provided by UNICEF, World Health Organisation)." Naturally, the story is the same with regard to specific instances. On July 24, 2000, Johns Hopkins University issued the following statement: " The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health $20 million to find the precise combination of vitamins and other micronutrients that will be most effectively save lives and prevent illness among impoverished mothers and children in the developing world. " 'The results of these studies are likely to prove crucial to the well-being and survival of millions of women and children a year,' said William R. Brodie, president of the Johns Hopkins University. " In the developing world, an estimated one in four children dies before reaching age 5. Worldwide, some 11 million children and 7 million adults die each year from diseases associated with poverty." The Hookworm Vaccine Initiative reports: " Hookworm infection is one of the most
prevalent and devastating infections of humans - more than one billion
individuals harbor hookworms in their intestine (1,2). Some tropical clinical
investigators rank hookworm as the second most important parasitic infection
of humans, next to malaria (3). Within developing economies hookworm is
a leading cause of anemia and malnutrition. In China reliable estimates
based on diagnostic testing of almost 1.5 million individuals indicate
that 194 million individuals harbor hookworms (4,5), making hookworm one
of China's most significant public health problems. Similar numbers of
cases of hookworm occur on the Indian subcontinent, in Sub-Saharan Africa
(6), and in Central and South America (7) (Fig. 1).
In 2000, the health authorities in Seattle, Washington, USA, carried out an interesting study entitled: " The Health Status of American Indians (AI) and Alaska Natives (AN) living in King County" (2000). The report included: Mortality rates for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) living in King County compared with all King County resident by age group and cause of death, three year averages, 1996-1998, as follows:
1-14 54.8 16.8 +226% 15-24 90.9 68.5 - 25-44 337.1 132.8 +154% 45-64 622.0 489.7 +27% 65-84 3847.5 3495.6 - 85 and 10493.8 14785.7 - It also dealt with other matters as indicated below. Water, Hepatitis 40.5 25.2 +61% Blood, Hepatitis 3.7 3.1 - Chlamydia 366.9 200.1 +83% Gonorr- 86.1 57.0 +51% Syphilis 6.5 3.9 - All >20% FPL 888.6 540.6 +64% (N.B. FPL = Federal poverty level. >20% FPL represents those areas in King County where more than 20% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, etc.)
Primary (N.B. SIDS = Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.)
" Intellectual property rights are a
necessary part of finding that balance (between providing adequate incentives
for research and development and ensuring affordable access to new drugs.)
They have an essential role to play in providing incentives for research
and development. No company will invest the resources required for research
and development without a promise of some degree of exclusivity in exploiting
the results of its efforts. At the same time, it is also clear that the
intellectual property system itself will not be sufficient to provide
incentives for research and development into the diseases which mainly
afflict the poor in developing countries, with limited purchasing power.
We thus very much welcome the growing worldwide recognition of this and
the initiatives being taken to fill this gap, involving as they do intergovernmental
agencies, national governments and private foundations as well as the
industry itself. The Commission's Communication is ! " In this sense, let me say that we, at the WTO, are fully convinced that there is a very strong relationship between trade, poverty and health. We fully acknowledge that efforts to promote basic public health as well as public education have a vital role to play in facilitating development. But, by the same token, development and the increased resources that it provides are vital for promoting public health. And an open trading system is a key component of development efforts." (Our emphasis). The US economist, Dean Baker, has addressed some of the issues of concern to the WTO, as they affect the United States. He has written: "Consumers pay more than three and a half dollars to the drug industry for every dollar of research induced by patent protection. Another two and a half dollars goes to industry profits and marketing - and to the legal costs, campaign contributions, and political lobbying needed to protect and extend the industry's patent monopolies." In his article: "Drug Prices in Crisis: The Case Against Protectionism", ("Dollars and Sense Magazine", May/June 2001), Dean Baker writes: "The costs of patent protection to consumers are enormous. The industry, which includes such giants as GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, estimates that it sold $106 billion worth of drugs in 2000. If eliminating patent protection had reduced the price of these drugs by 75%, then consumers would have saved $79 billion. This figure, to put it in perspective, is 30% more than what the (US) federal government spends on education each year. It's more than ten times the amount that the federal government spends on Head Start. And it roughly equals the nation's annual bill for foreign oil. "What do we get for this money? Last year, the pharmaceutical industry, according to its own figures, spent $22.5 billion on domestic drug research (and another $4 billion on research elsewhere). For tax purposes, the industry claimed research expenditures of just $16 billion. Since these expenditures qualify for a 20% tax credit, the federal government directly covered $3.2 billion of the industry's research spending (20% of the $16 billion reported on tax returns.) Even if we accept the $22.5 billion figure as accurate, this still means that the industry, after deducting the government contribution, spent just over $19 billion of its own money on drug research. "In other words, consumers (and the government, through Medicaid and other programs) spent an extra $79 billion on drugs because of patent protection, in order to get the industry to spend $19 billion of its own money on research. This comes out more than four dollars in additional spending on drugs for every dollar that the industry spent on research. The rest of the money went mainly to: · marketing. "If spending an extra four dollars on drugs in order to persuade the industry to spend one dollar on research doesn't sound like a good deal, don't worry. It gets worse. "Last summer, the New York Times cited data showing that drugs, when tested by researchers who were supported by the drug's manufacturer, were found to be significantly more effective than existing drugs 89% of the time. By contrast, drugs tested by neutral researchers were found to be significantly more effective only 61% of the time. "By creating incentives to misrepresent, falsify, or conceal research findings, patent monopolies are harmful to our pocketbooks as well as our health.For example, a recent study estimated that consumers were spending $6 billion a year on patented medication for patients with heart disease, which was no more effective than generic alternatives in preventing heart problems. As a result of industry propaganda, consumers might also spend money on drugs that could be less effective than cheaper alternatives - or on drugs that could even be hazardous to their health. "At the top of the list (of measures to counter the negative effects of protectionism with regard to drugs), the U.S. government should not be working with the pharmaceutical industry to impose its patents on developing countries. This is especially important in the case of AIDS drugs, since patent protection in sub-Saharan Africa may effectively be sentencing tens of millions of people to death." In another article "Dying for Patients" (Center for Economic and Policy Research, October 29, 2001), Dean Baker writes: "(The pharmaceutical industry) argue that the patent monopolies allow them to earn enough money to fund the research that produces these drugs in the first place. "This claim is at best half true. Much of the most important research was funded with our tax dollars by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In many cases, the industry just came along in the final phases of testing in order to claim the patent rights. In fact, according to the industry's own numbers, more research is actually supported by the government and private foundations and charities, than by the pharmaceutical companies." Alan Story of Kent Law School has written (2001): "From a recent New York Times article: replying to critics of the drug industry who say it would rather find a cure for a bald American than a dying African, Francois Gros, a spokesman for Aventis, the French-German pharmaceutical company that makes three of the four sleeping sickness drugs, ruefully acknowledged: 'That's not completely wrong. We know what's happening in the third world, but we don't act.' He went on to explain: 'We can't deny that we try to focus on top markets - cardiovascular, metabolism, anti-infection, etc. But we're an industry in a competitive environment - we have a commitment to deliver performance for shareholders. "And again from the New York Times: drug companies which last year spent $40 billion on research, have in two decades, come up with only four medicines specifically for tropical diseases." All the foregoing, relating to health, poverty and underdevelopment should, in reality, be a matter of common sense. Spoken and published in many other parts of the world, it does not cause any consternation. But clearly, when these obvious truths are spoken here in our own country, they assume a more menacing meaning. The omnipotent apparatus denounces them as constituting a "denial". When we seek to act within the parameters of the very health paradigm contained in the paragraphs we have quoted, this is condemned as "fiddling while Rome burns." Our struggle for drugs and medicines that would be affordable to the millions of our poor people, was repudiated as a betrayal of the sacred principle of property rights, and a disastrous slap in the face of foreign investors. The failure to ascribe the entire burden of disease that afflicts our people exclusively to the HI Virus earned our leaders the characterisation that they are genocidaires. Stridently and openly, the omnipotent apparatus disapproves of our effort seriously to deal with the serious challenge in our country of health, poverty and underdevelopment. It is determined that it will stop at nothing until its objectives are achieved. What it seeks is that we should do its bidding, in its interests. In this respect, all of us are obliged to chant that HIV=AIDS=Death! We are obliged to abide by the faith, and no other, that our immune systems are being destroyed solely and exclusively by the HI Virus. We must repeat the catechism that sickness and death among us are primarily caused by a heterosexually transmitted HI Virus. Then our government must ensure that it makes anti-retroviral drugs available throughout our public health system. But first of all, we have to repeat in unison - HIV causes AIDS causes Death! According to this argument, necessarily, therefore, the two principal and decisive responses open to us, to respond to Africa's health challenges, are the use of condoms and the consumption of anti-retroviral drugs. Everything else that causes ill health and death among us, the omnipotent apparatus argues, is of peripheral importance. |
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