[Ip-health] COLOMBIAN AIDS ACTIVISTS MEET TO CALL FOR REMOVAL OF BARRIERS TO ACCESS TO GENERIC DRUGS FOR HIV/AIDS PATIENTS IN COLOMBIAN FREE TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT

[Clinton Trout]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Of interest to editors and journalists covering: health, international
health, international development, charities and philanthropy,
pharmaceutical business, and general business

COLOMBIAN AIDS ACTIVISTS MEET TO CALL FOR REMOVAL OF BARRIERS TO ACCESS
TO GENERIC DRUGS FOR HIV/AIDS PATIENTS IN COLOMBIAN FREE TRADE
PROMOTION AGREEMENT

PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Future access to ARV medications in Colombia is a concern, where only
10% of people with HIV/AIDS currently access treatment

BOGOT=C1, Colombia. ? August 13, 2007 AIDS Activists, HIV/AIDS
organizations, UN Agencies, and academics met today to discuss access
to HIV/AIDS medications in Colombia and the potential impact of the
Colombian Free Trade Promotion Agreement (FTA).  This meeting was
hosted by the Henry Ardila Foundation and the League against HIV/AIDS
of Colombia.  The Colombian Free Trade Promotion Agreement (FTA) was
agreed upon in 2006 by both Colombia and the United States, but was
recently put ?on hold? by U.S. Congressional Democrats after removing
some, but not all, of the onerous barriers to treatment access.

Advocates for persons living with HIV/AIDS in Colombia are very
concerned that, when finalized, the FTA will further limit access to
treatment for poor Colombians with HIV/AIDS.

?In Colombia, only 10% of 160,000 people living with HIV/AIDS have
access to ARV treatment,? said Jorge Pacheco, Coordinator General of
the League against HIV/AIDS of Colombia (LigaSIDA). ?This is already
very low compared to other Latin American countries, such as Mexico,
Brazil, and Argentina, where approximately 25% access treatment.
Colombians, who make an average of US$2,400, cannot afford the prices
of brand medications. ?

?In Colombia, precious resources that could be used to bring more
patients into care are already being diverted to pay for expensive,
patented, brand-name drugs,? added Alfredo Mej=EDa, Executive Director of
the Henry Ardila Foundation. ?Colombia already pays more for AIDS drugs
than every other Latin American Country except Mexico.  We know that
every additional day of brand protection provided by the FTA will mean
hundreds of patients with HIV/AIDS without access to medications.?

While many of the worst restrictions on quicker access to cheap generic
drugs were removed by Congressional Democrats, the FTA would lock
Colombia into 5 years of ?data exclusivity? which would add additional
time before generics could enter the market.

For Further Information Contact:

In  English:=09=09In Spanish:
Clint Trout =09=09Jorge Pacheco, LigaSIDA  =09Alfredo Mej=EDa, Fundaci=F3n =
Henry Ardila
+57 317 419 8071  =09+57 313 349 7552=09=09+57 310 320 2871
ctrout@bu.edu=09=09jpcabrales@yahoo.com=09=09hafundacion@asistencia.org

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Clinton Henry Trout, MPH
Candidate for Doctor of Public Health
Boston University

270 Harvard St., #4
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
ctrout@bu.edu





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[ 8-13-07 Press Release.doc of type application/msword deleted ]
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[ 8-13-07 Press Release (Spanish) Final.doc of type application/msword dele=
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[ Final Agenda.doc of type application/msword deleted ]
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