On January 29, 2002, members of the Treatment Access Campaign (TAC) imported a shipment of generic antiretroviral drugs from Brazil for use in a program run by Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Kayelitsha. The drugs imported were AZT, 3TC, AZT+3TC, and Nevirapine. By using generics the cost of antiretrovirals per patient per day falls from US$3.20 to US$1.55, allowing MSF to treat more people. The anti-AIDS program in Kayleitsha shows that treatment is possible in areas with limited resources and challenges the South African government to provide low-cost medicine to its HIV+ citizens. The drugs are patented in South Africa, so if the government were to import generics from Brazil or anywhere else, it would need to either get a voluntary license from the patent-holding pharmaceutical company, or issue a compulsory license.

Statements

• August 13, 2002. MSF document. HIV/AIDS treatment in South Africa proves success in the poorest conditions.
• July 7, 2002. MSF press release. New data reasserts the feasibilit of antiretroviral treatment in resource-poor settings. Governments still refuse to commit funds for life-extending medicines.
• January 30, 2002. Statement from Brazilian Ministry of Health
• January 29, 2002. Joint press release of Medecins Sans Frontieres, Treatment Action Committee and Oxfam. Generic AIDS drugs offer new lease of life to South Africans; importation of generics cuts price in half.
• January 29, 2002. MFS Report. Brazilian Generic Drugs in South Africa - the Background.
• January 29, 2002. Congress of South African Trade Unions press release. Generic Antiretroviral Medicines.
• January 29, 2002. Treatment Action Campaign. Questions and Answers about TAC and MSF Importing Generic Medicines from Brazil.

News Stories

• October 223, 2003. Stephanie Nolen for the Globe and Mail. As South Africa prepares a plan to treat the epidemic, people are already being assisted with free drugs from MSF.
• February 25, 2002. Op-Ed by Richard Tren for the Wall Street Journal (European edition). The Boys From Brazil. (For more on Richard Tren, see the CPTech page on Pharma's Favorite Experts.)
• February 1, 2002. Belinda Beresford for the Mail and Guardian. Patent busters take on the drug companies.
• January 30, 2002. Mark Schoofs for the Wall Street Journal. Physicians' Group Defies Patent Law To Bring AIDS Drugs to South Africa.
• January 30, 2002. Sarah Bosley for the Guardian. Aids drugs bring hope to S. Africa.
• January 30, 2002. Reuters. AIDS Drugs form Brazil.
• January 29, 2002. Nicol Degli Innocenti for the Financial Times. Unions defy South Africa's Aids policy.
• January 29, 2002. CNN. Generic AIDS drugs imported into S. Africa, despite ban.
• January 29, 2002. Associated Press. Generic AIDS Drugs Come to S. Africa
• January 29, 2002. Anso Thom for the Star. TAC, Cosatu bring in cheap AIDS drugs.