Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement Could Hurt Global AIDS Fight

The Asia-Pacific trade agreement currently being negotiated by U.S. trade representatives may hamper international efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, Bloomberg News reports.

Under the agreement, patent protection for U.S. pharmaceutical companies that develop and manufacture HIV meds would be strengthened in Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries such as Australia, Chile, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and others.

As a result, new U.S. medications will get to TPP markets quicker, but HIV-positive people there will probably have to wait longer to access generic versions.

Opponents argue that the trade deal will increase the cost of HIV/AIDS meds in the Asia-Pacific region, making it more difficult to achieve the goal of an “AIDS-free generation” recently supported by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

To read the Bloomberg article, visit: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-21/clinton-s-global-aids-fight-may-be-hurt-by-u-s-trade-initiative.html#.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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