The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
60°F
Current Conditions
Clear sky
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

World ‘failing’ battle on AIDS

A model wears a collection of condoms simulating an orchid in her hair as she works in the commercial area Tuesday during the 15th AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Ian Mader Associated Press
A model wears a collection of condoms simulating an orchid in her hair as she works in the commercial area Tuesday during the 15th AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

BANGKOK, Thailand – The World Health Organization said Tuesday that the world has “failed miserably” in getting lifesaving drugs to millions afflicted with HIV, and France accused the United States of bullying poor countries into ceding rights to make affordable generic medicine.

A U.S. official denied the French allegation at the International AIDS Conference as “nonsense,” while delegates lamented that only about 7 percent of the 6 million people in poor countries who need antiretroviral treatment are getting it.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Washington to show the same leadership in fighting AIDS as it has in fighting terrorism.

“We hear a lot about weapons of mass destruction, we hear a lot about terrorism. And we are worried about weapons of mass destruction because of the potential to kill thousands. Here we have an epidemic that is killing millions. What is the response?” Annan said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. in Bangkok.

Since the last AIDS conference in Barcelona in 2002, the number of people being treated for the disease has doubled in the developing world to 440,000. At the same time, 6 million people died from the virus and 10 million people became infected, WHO figures show.

“By these measures of human life, the ones that really matter, we have failed. And we have failed miserably to do enough in the precious time that has passed since Barcelona,” said Jim Kim, WHO’s AIDS director.

Cost is a key issue. European and U.S. pharmaceutical giants make most of the drugs, which are protected by patents and cost as much as $5,000 per person a year.

Developing countries such as Thailand, Brazil and India are making cheap generic drugs – WHO put its seal of approval on four new generic Indian products Tuesday – but they not enough to reach everybody.

An estimated 38 million people are infected with HIV, mostly in poor countries: 25 million in sub-Saharan Africa and 7.2 million in Asia.

The Bush administration’s five-year, $15 billion plan for worldwide HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment is modeled after a program in Uganda, which stresses abstinence, monogamy and condom use.