Lobbyists Block Global Fight Against AIDS

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This is from today's CommmonDreams:

Lobbyists Block Global Fight Against AIDS, Says New Report

WASHINGTON - January 27 - Corporate lobbyists have an undue influence on the global fight against HIV/AIDS and poverty, says a new report by ActionAid International.

ActionAid's report, Under the Influence, reveals a worldwide explosion of corporate lobbying, contributing to unfair trade rules that may cost lives. In 2004, The US pharmaceutical industry alone spent over $1 billion on lobbying.

The report cites examples of the results of this spending, which includes privileged corporate access to, and excessive influence over the WTO policymaking process. For example, drug companies, according to findings, are using WTO rules to safeguard their profits and hinder the fight against HIV/AIDS.

In 2003, the report relates, senior officials from Pfizer, the world's largest drug company, negotiated directly with the WTO's director-general and its member states to block a proposal that would allow poor countries to import cheaper copies of patented drugs during health emergencies. Drug industry lobbying at the WTO brought about a rule change last year which ensured that countries such as Brazil, India and Thailand will find it much harder to make cheaper copies of patented medicines.

Meanwhile in 2005, PhRMA, the US drug industry pressure group whose members include Pfizer and Merck, lobbied the Indian government to bring in a new law that threatens to deny AIDS treatment for up to 350,000 people who depend on low-cost Indian drugs worldwide.

More at: http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0127-02.htm