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NEWS September 21 2001
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| Update: Brazil AIDS drugs Brazil’s health minister Jose Serra is celebrating a victory in the ongoing battle to get drug companies to waive profits in favour of health. Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche has caved in and cut the price of its drug Nelfinavir (used as part of an anti-AIDS cocktail) by 40%. Mr Serra had previously announced that Brazil would break Roche’s patent and begin manufacturing the drug itself, at a cost of around 40% less than the patented version. [see news updates 31 August for full story]. Negotiations are continuing with Glaxo SmithKlineover the price of two other patented drugs in the AIDS cocktail. Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1520000/1520000.stm |