[Ip-health] Survey: 61% in US favor CLs

[Benjamin Krohmal]

Thanks to Pharmalot for the pointer- The Wall Street Journal posting
is below, followed by the Pharmalot post:


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118227672705940767.html
  WSJ ONLINE/HARRIS INTERACTIVE HEALTH-CARE POLL

Majority Would Allow Poorer Nations
To Break AIDS-Drug Patents, Poll Shows
By BECKEY BRIGHT
June 20, 2007

Sixty-one percent of U.S. adults believe poorer countries should be
allowed to break companies' patents on HIV/AIDS drugs if doing so
would help them treat more of their population, according to a new poll.

When asked specifically about a recent move by Brazil to break the
patent on an AIDS drug made by Merck & Co. and provide a generic
version instead, 57% said they were in favor of the country's
decision, while 20% said they were opposed, the Wall Street Journal
Online/Harris Interactive health-care poll found.

Thirty-three percent of those polled said they believe that ignoring
companies' patents on HIV/AIDS drugs hinders the development of new
drugs, while 40% said they disagree. The poll of 2,246 adults was
conducted online June 11-13.

Three-quarters of respondents said programs that teach about and
distribute condoms will be most effective in preventing the spread of
HIV/AIDS. But half said they agree that the best way to prevent the
spread of HIV/AIDS is through programs that teach abstinence.

Forty percent of Americans think the global HIV/AIDS epidemic has
worsened in the last five years, down from 58% who said they felt
that way when asked the same question in 2004. In the latest poll,
16% said they felt conditions have gotten better, while 32% said
things have stayed about the same.

See full results of the poll:
"Based on what you know or have heard, do you think the global HIV/
AIDS epidemic has gotten better, worse or stayed about same compared
with five years ago?"

Base: All adults
   =092004 =092007
Gotten better =098% =0916%
Gotten worse =0958 =0940
Stayed about the same =0924 =0932
Not sure =0910 =0912
* * *
"U.S. spending for the global prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS
focuses on four areas: prevention; treatment; end-of-life care for
AIDS patients, and children who have been orphaned by the disease. If
you were in charge and you had $100 dollars to distribute between
these programs, how would you spend them?"

Base: All adults
   =09Portion of $100 That Would Spend On(Mean)
   =092004 =092007
Prevention =0934.5% =0936.9%
Treatment =0923.8 =0923.4
End-of-life care for AIDS patients =0914.3 =0913.6
Children who have been orphaned by the disease =0927.4 =0926.1
* * *
"To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following
statements?"

Base: All adults
   =09Agree strongly/ Somewhat (NET) =09Agree Strongly =09Agree Somewhat
Disagree strongly/ Somewhat (NET) =09Disagree Somewhat =09Disagree
Strongly =09Not Sure

Poorer countries should be allowed to break drug patents for HIV/AIDS
drugs if it helps them treat more of their population. =0961% =0929% =0932%
=0920% =0912% =098% =0919%
When poorer countries break drug patents for HIV/AIDS drugs they
hinder the development of new drugs. =0933 =098 =0925 =0940 =0926 =0914 =09=
27
The best way to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is through programs
that teach abstinence. =0951 =0925 =0926 =0942 =0920 =0922 =097
Abstinence programs hinder, rather than help, efforts to fight HIV/
AIDS. =0938 =0914 =0923 =0950 =0928 =0923 =0912
Prevention programs that teach about and distribute condoms will be
most effective at preventing the spread of HIV/ AIDS. =0976 =0938 =0938 =09=
17
=0911 =096 =098
* * *
"Brazil recently announced that they will break the patent of an HIV/
AIDS drug and purchase a generic version against the wishes of the
drug's patent holder. Do you favor or oppose Brazil's decision?"

Base: All adults
   =09Total
Strongly/Somewhat favor (NET) =0957%
Strongly favor =0923
Somewhat favor =0934
Strongly/Somewhat oppose (NET) =0920
Somewhat oppose =0913
Strongly oppose =097
Not sure =0923
* * *

Methodology:

Harris Interactive conducted this survey by telephone in the U.S.,
June 12-13, 2007, among a nationwide cross section of 2,246 adults.
Figures for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, income and region
were weighted where necessary to align with population proportions.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one can say with
95% certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of +/-
3.5 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult
population had been polled with complete accuracy.

**********

http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/06/poor-nations-should-break-aids-
patents-poll/

  Poor Nations Should Break AIDS Patents: Poll
June 21st, 2007 4:31 pm By Ed Silverman

This should give Abbott Labs pause. Sixty-one percent of Americans
believe poorer countries should be allowed to break a drugmaker=92s
patent on an AIDS med if doing so would help its population,
according to a poll from Harris Interactive and The Wall Street
Journal (subscription required).

In fact, 57 percent favored the recent move by Brazil to break a
patent on a Merck AIDS drug, and only 20 percent were opposed.
Meanwhile, just 33 percent believe that breaking patents on AIDS drug
impedes drug development, while 40 percent disagree. The poll of
2,246 adults was conducted online June 11-13. There was no question
about Thailand.

Interestingly, 40 percent think the global HIV/AIDS epidemic has
grown worse in the last five years, down from 58 percent in 2004. And
16 percent say they felt conditions have gotten better, while 32
percent believe things have stayed about the same. So it=92s not as if
a majority of Americans feel the crisis is deepening and breaking
patents is the only way out.

No, it appears that most Americans simply believe there are
legitimate reasons for a poorer nation to break a patent. Granted,
each country has its own set of variables. But the poll results
underscore why Abbott Labs is having such a hard time convincing
anyone that playing hardball with the Thai government or AIDS
activists in France is justified. A Pharmalot poll found that 68
percent believe Abbott was wrong to sue Act Up Paris for a cyber attack.

Miles White and his managerial team at Abbott have every right to
pursue their strategy. But there=92s a cost to weigh - public support
and credibility.