Drug firms get six week postponement

A court action brought by the world's biggest drug firms to stop South Africa from importing cheaper generic drugs was postponed on Tuesday until 18 April, parties to the case said. News reports said the delay was to allow the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association of South Africa (PMA) time to respond to a court application lodged by the country's leading AIDS advocacy group, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).

TAC had sought to become part of the case as an "amicus curiae", or friend of the court, to present evidence on drug company pricing and on the human misery caused by HIV and AIDS.AIDS and charity organisations have accused the major drug firms of putting profits before lives at a time when the developing world is racked by an AIDS epidemic.

The PMA seeks to strike down South Africa's Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, which it argues, if implemented, will infringe on their intellectual property rights, break international trade agreements and contravene the South African constitution's protection of property rights. The start of the case on Monday was accompanied by protests in several cities across the globe in support of the South African government.