Solidarity with the people living with HIV/AIDS
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() Solidarity with the people living with HIV/AIDS
/\ http://www.msf.ca/petition
Please consider reading and signing this petition prepared by
M�decins sans Fronti�res (MSF) and supported by Oxfam before April
15th, 2001.
Should the HIV-infected persons in poor countries die for your
wealth?
M�decins sans Fronti�res (MSF) asks for your support in demanding
that 39 pharmaceutical companies drop their lawsuit against the South
African government over a law that aims to make lifesaving drugs more
affordable and accessible.
Thank you for forwarding to other lists.
Christian Labadie
Germany
mailto:CLabadie@t-online.de
http://nucwww.chem.sunysb.edu/prevges/sida.html
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PS: Background information
In Germany between 1994 and 2000 the number of HIV-positive people
developing AIDS have dropped from 1,943 to 369 per year although the
number of new infections hasn't significantly changed (ca. 2000 each
year), because they have access to essential livesaving drugs. Mean-
while tens of millions of HIV-infected persons in sub-Saharan regions
are denied access to these medicines, because they are protected by
patents. Brazil has shown that it can produce the drugs at a fraction
of the cost imposed by the pharma giants. As a result Brazil has cut
the price of treating AIDS-patients and reduced the number of death.
South Africa would like to follow this example. Each additional day,
month and year that infected parents can provide to their children
before they become orphans, are crucial. Antiretroviral drugs can
help them stay alive.
50 years ago IG-Farben made money on delivering death. Today Pharma-
ceuticals make profit by denying lifesaving drugs to millions leaving
in poor countries. We, as individuals, have the chance to make a dif-
ference by signing the MSF petition BEFORE April 15th, 2001 and/or by
writing to our respective head of states to support the case of the
South African government.
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