US embassy in SA sends letter to SA Business Day regarding AIDS drug dispute

[James Love <love@cptech.org>]

This is a letter to the editor of Business Day, by the US embassy 
in SA.  Jamie


Subject: US cares about AIDS - Letter - 29/07/99
   Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 13:39:22 GMT + 2:00
   From: "Mark Heywood" <125ma3he@solon.law.wits.ac.za>
 Organization: Law Faculty, Wits University
       

Please distribute as widely as possible.

--------------------------------------------

BUSINESS DAY, July 29 1999
Letter to the editor

Dear Sir  

I Regret that US embassy officials did not have the same  
opportunity as the AIDS Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) leaders 
to express an opinion on our meeting in the caption to your photos 
of  (27 July 1999). 

We regarded the meeting as a constructive exchange of views on  
AIDS issues even if it did not resolve differences. Earlier this 
month, TAC gave us an "open letter concerning US pressure on the 
SA government on compulsory licensing and parallel imports"  
addressed to Vice-president Al Gore.  The meeting was our  
attempt to respond to TAC's concerns. 

We explained that there has been no pressure on the SA  
government.  As SA's US ambassador Sheila Sisulu said on July  2: 
"I want to state categorically that Vice-President Gore has not put  
pressure, has not given notice to put sanctions, on SA on this  
matter." 

Gore recently declared to the US Congress: "I support SA's effort 
to  provide AIDS drugs at reduced prices through compulsory 
licensing  and parallel importing, so long as they are carried out in a 
way that  is consitent with international agreements."  The US is not 
blocking SA's access to affordable HIV/AIDS medicines, but we 
have  expressed our concern about the breadth section 15(c) of  
SA's  Medicine and Related Substances Amendment Act. 

While TAC perceives this as US arrogance, we consider it a  
responsible approach to global trade issues.  There is no reason for 
 this concern to stand in the way of less expensive drugs while we  
discuss the matter. 

The main obstacle to implementation of the act is the court case  
brought by pharmaceutical companies challenging its  
constitutionality.  We are not party to their suit, nor has the US  
government succumbed to their pressure. 

We regret that TAC found our answers "very disappointing",  
particularly as we share a common concern for AIDS victims and for 
 the disease's impact on SA's economic growth.  The US remains  
committed to helping SA confront this scourge through assistance  
ranging from USaid's $10m AIDS programme to AIDS community  
projects supported by the ambassador's self-help fund.  In addition, 
 the US government is funding more than 25% of the United Nations 
 Joint Programme on AIDS. 

We were pleased to share this information with TAC's leaders,  
remain open to further dialogue and respect TAC's commitment to  
their cause.  Their failure to recognise our mutual interest in  
overcoming AIDS is disappointing. 

Thomas N Hull 
Counsellor for Public Affairs 
US Embassy - Pretoria 
Business Day 29/07/1999 
-------------------------------------------------------- 

AIDS Law Project
Administration Officer
Centre for Applied Legal Studies
Private Bag 3
WITS; 2050; South Africa
Tel: +27-11-403-6918
Fax: +27-11-403-2341