Give Africa AIDS Drugs

Whether out of sheer benevolence or a desire to end its public relations woes, Bristol-Meyers-Squibb Pharmaceuticals announced last week that it would market its AIDS drugs, Zerit and Videx, to Africa at a combined price of $1 per day. This follows closely on the heels of Merck Pharmaceuticals' announcement that it would market its drug, the protease inhibitor Crixivan, to Africa at the reduced price of $600 per year. AIDS drugs typically cost between $10,000 and $15,000 per year. Needless to say, because of these exorbitantly high prices, these drugs are out of reach for those most in need--especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, quickly becoming the center of the global AIDS pandemic.

While we are elated at the willingness of pharmaceutical companies to finally recognize the gravity of the situation in Africa, the sad fact is that this price reduction will not be enough. Many of those affected by AIDS live beneath the international poverty line of $1 per day and would have no hope of affording these drugs on their own. Even the low cost of AIDS test kits can be a barrier, preventing infected individuals from learning that they have the disease or taking action to control its spread. Similarly, although some responsible governments--such as Uganda's--have done much to reduce the rate of infection, there is little hope that unstable or cash-strapped governments will be able to subsidize the drugs.

The gestures on the parts of Merck and Bristol-Meyers are certainly steps in the right direction, but there must be further action to confront this deadly crisis. We urge governments in developed countries to help finance prevention, education and treatment efforts for the more than 25 million Africans suffering from AIDS, and we call on the drug companies to continue lowering their prices to facilitate this end. The solution must also include significantly greater funding for public research groups such as the National Institute of Health, which would have different incentives than private corporations and which would not oppose the at-cost production and sale of AIDS drugs.

The AIDS pandemic is a global emergency, and there is little time for token gestures when many millions of lives are at stake--and when a realistic solution has already taken too long.