[Pharm-policy] Newark Star-Ledger: Pfizer nears deal with South Africa for AIDS treatment

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

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http://www.njo.com/business/ledger/index.ssf?/business/ledger/1197512.htm

Pfizer nears deal with South Africa for AIDS treatment 

11/28/00

By Ed Silverman
STAFF WRITER

After months of contentious talks, Pfizer Inc. expects to announce this
week that it has reached an agreement to provide South Africa with
Diflucan, an expensive drug for treating a deadly AIDS-related
infection. 

Terms weren't disclosed and South African government officials couldn't
be reached last night for comment. But a Pfizer spokesman confirmed a
weekend report in a South African newspaper that a deal was close. 

"We've been in discussions and hope to sign an agreement by Friday. It's
for a donation -- the drug would be provided free of charge," said
Pfizer spokesman Bob Huber, who added the deal should dispel earlier
concerns about distribution and treatment. 

Like other drug makers, Pfizer has come under attack for trying to block
poor African governments from allowing local companies to make cheaper
generic versions of expensive AIDS drug or import them from other
countries where U.S. patents aren't protected. 

Last June, South African officials bristled at Pfizer's terms, which
placed conditions on who can use Diflucan, where patients must be
treated, how they are diagnosed and how the drug will be distributed and
monitored.  Under those terms, Pfizer would only provide it for two
years. 

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"It would make more sense for them to permit South African companies to
make a version or buy it from Thailand," said Paul Davis, a member of
ACT-UP, an AIDS activist group. "But instead, Pfizer wanted to make them
jump through hoops." 

It's not clear, though, if such concerns will be dispelled. In comments
made to Business Day, a South African newspaper, Manto Tshabalala
Msimang, the country's health minister, said only that the government is
"pleased with the way the negotiations have gone." 

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