[Ip-health] Clinton signs 08 Stop AIDS pledge

[Sarah Rimmington]

On Friday, Senator Clinton signed the 08 Stop AIDS pledge, which
includes the following:

4. *Support trade policies that protect and expand poor countries' right
to affordable, quality-assured generic drug*s^8 for important health
needs. *Adopt humanitarian licensing policies* that ensure drugs
developed with taxpayer resources are available off-patent in developing
countries;

You can read the entire pledge, here:
http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/index.php/583  Below you will find
Global AIDS Alliance's announcement re the signing of the pledge.


GLOBAL AIDS ALLIANCE FUND

Senator Hillary Clinton Pledges to Deliver Bold Approach to Stopping
Global HIV/AIDS & Poverty

Contact:  David Bryden, 202-549-3664 mobile

Washington, Oct 26 -- Today Senator Hillary Clinton pledged that, if
elected US President, she would deliver on a range of bold, new policies
to address global HIV/AIDS, the plight of orphaned children, women's
rights, and related issues.

Religious and community leaders who belong to two local groups, Iowans
for AIDS Action and New Hampshire Fights AIDS, had asked that she sign a
"Presidential Pledge for Leadership on Global AIDS and Poverty," which
she signed today.  In the statement, she pledges to provide "at least
$50 billion" for the fight against AIDS by 2013 and to "make significant
progress toward providing an additional one precent of the US budget to
fighting poverty in impoverished countries."

Clinton also pledged to "improve the coordination and effectiveness of
US development assistance by exploring the creation of a cabinet-level
poverty-focused development agency."

"Senator Clinton is demonstrating the leadership we need to win in the
fight against global AIDS and make our anti-poverty investments more
cost effective," said Dr. Paul Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global
AIDS Alliance Fund.  "By signing this pledge, she builds on her strong
record as an advocate on AIDS and global poverty," he added.  "She is
once again showing that she is prepared to deliver on the reforms we
need to preserve America's leadership on AIDS and related issues and
restore America's standing in the world."

"In recent years, the US has made impressive strides in the area of AIDS
treatment," added Zeitz.  "Keeping up the pace of the fight against
AIDS, at home and abroad, while at the same time fixing those policies
that are not working, is a moral imperative facing the next President."

"AIDS kills 8000 people a day, and we cannot try to fight it on the
cheap," said Steve Howard, spokesperson for New Hampshire Fights AIDS.
"We are thrilled to see Senator Clinton taking this bold,
forward-thinking stand," said Howard.  "We also need to see the next
President ensure full funding for science-based AIDS programs in the
US," he added.

Senator Clinton has also co-sponsored important, bi-partisan legislation
in the Senate to help African countries improve their health systems,
which will help ensure aid can be fully and effectively used.  The
pledge she signed today includes a promise to "increase the number of
health workers by at least one million, building local self-sufficiency."

--
Sarah Rimmington
Attorney
Essential Action, Access to Medicines Project
Washington, DC
Tel: (202) 387-8030
Cell: (202) 422-2687
www.essentialaction.org/access/