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The International rights group, Human Rights Watch (HRW), has expressed concern that the US could obstruct access to generic HIV/AIDS drugs in developing countries.
The group said in a statement that the US would convene a conference in Botswana next week that may challenge the World Health Organisation's (WHO) approval of generic versions of patented anti-AIDS drugs.
Joanne Csete, the director of HRW's HIV/AIDS Programme said although WHO had made enormous headway in verifying the quality of generic AIDS drugs for millions of low-income HIV-positive people, the US government could dash that hope to protect brand-name pharmaceutical interests.
"The United States stands alone in opposing these safe, inexpensive and WHO-certified generic medicines. The Bush administration should dispel all accusations that it is protecting the interests of brand-name drug companies, and instead it should endorse and purchase these cheaper drugs, which would maximise the return on its investment in fighting AIDS," Csete said.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
