# E-DRUG: HOPE for Africa bill introduced **URL:** \ **Category:** e-drug\ **Created:** [February 23, 1999, 11:27pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-hope-for-africa-bill-introduced/4509 "1999-02-23T23:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robert\_Weissman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4491bb/32.png) [@Robert\_Weissman](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/Robert_Weissman)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 1999, 11:27pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-hope-for-africa-bill-introduced/4509/1 "1999-02-23T23:27:56Z")
E-drug: HOPE for Africa bill introduced --------------------------------------------- Jesse Jackson, Jr. today introduced the HOPE for Africa bill (with number HR 772). The bill includes the provision mentioned earlier on this list, blocking the U.S. government from challenging African country intellectual property policies designed to promote access to drugs, so long as those provisions comply with the WTO TRIPs. Here is an excerpt from Jackson's statement today in announcing the bill: Third, H.R. 772 addresses the AIDS crisis by replenishing and targeting assistance from the Development Fund for Africa for AIDS education and treatment programs; making it U.S. policy to assist Sub-Saharan African countries in efforts to make needed pharmaceuticals and medical technologies widely available; and prohibiting the use of U.S. funds to undermine African intellectual property and competition policies that are designed to increase the availability of medications. Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, 83 percent of AIDS deaths have occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. U.S. citizens who would like to support the bill should act fast -- the fate of African trade legislation in the House of Representatives may be decided in the coming two weeks. The key message is to call members of the House and urge them to support HR 772, the HOPE for Africa bill. Robert Weissman Essential Information e-mail: rob@essential.org -- Send mail for the `E-Drug' conference to `e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'. Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'. For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.