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Drug giants commit to combating AIDS

    JOHANNESBURG

    Global pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies have pledged to help meet the UN Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment by 2010.

    UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan made the announcement on Monday after a meeting with top executives from nine leading companies in the US, Britain, India and South Africa to discuss ways of stepping up the fight against the disease.

    Commitments by the companies included making their products more affordable, registering medicines and diagnostic tools as widely as possible, and giving greater priority to the research and development of treatments for HIV-positive children.

    "Progress on all these fronts is essential if we are to win the fight against AIDS," Annan said. "I am pleased that the companies I met with today pledged to continue their efforts."

    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

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