AIDS medicine prices lowered

The Brazilian government recently reached an agreement with the producers of the HIV/AIDS drug Kaletra to reduce its price by 29.5 per cent. Following the deal, Thailand has also demanded higher cuts than those in Brazil from the drug's producers Abbott Laboratories Inc.

US food authorities pander to drug companies

Never before in human history has food chemistry been so precarious for the health of billions. This stems from multinationalcorporate biochemical mayhem going unchecked by regulatory bodies in every nation, the worst being us and China'. This crisis is worsening, demonstrated by the us Food and Drug Administration's (fda's) failure to detect melamine

South Asia

pakistan floods Floods caused by cyclone Yemyin and rain devastated southwestern Pakistan in the last week of June. As of July 1, 2007, official reports claim 100 people were dead with thousands missing and homeless. The government has appealed for donations of tents to shelter the homeless. Many casualties had occurred with people drowning and getting trapped under the debris of their collapsing homes. Thirteen districts of Baluchistan were hit the hardest. The floodwaters breached a dam in Khuzdar district drowning 42 people. A

WHO's Stop TB partnership programme

the World Health Organization (who) along with its Stop tb partnership programme, announced on June 22 guidelines to curb two forms of tuberculosis multidrug resistant tuberculosis (mdr-tb) and the more harmful extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (xdr-tb).

WHO bans smoking in indoor workplaces

In a firm step towards checking tobacco use, on May 29 the who issued its strongest policy recommendations. It urged all countries to ban smoking at indoor workplaces and public buildings. It asked governments to immediately pass laws requiring all indoor workplaces and public places to be 100 per cent smoke-free and also to strictly enforce the laws.

Yemen to try new strategy to fight malaria

Yemen's health ministry recently announced a new strategy to fight malaria in the country at a reduced cost. In place of annual campaigns against the disease, it plans to have permanent teams looking after malaria-affected areas in the country. People from malaria-prone villages will be trained to implement preventive measures. The new strategy would lower costs as involvement of local people would cut down transportation and housing costs, said Abdul-Salam al-Aqel,

South Asia

power failure Bangladesh's shrimp industry in the south of the country is facing severe power shortages. Work in 39 shrimp processing factories in Bagerhat, Khulna and Satkhira districts has been hampered and they have incurred losses amounting to Rs 2 crore per day.

Brazil issues compulsory licence for anti-HIV/AIDS drug

Thailand issues generic drug licences

Angering global drug giants, Thailand's interim regime decided to issue more compulsory licences for import and production of generic HIV/AIDS drugs on February 12, 2007. The rising cost of AIDS treatment was cited as the reason. This will allow domestic firms to produce generic versions of drugs. The first licence was issued in November 2006.

Novartis exposes India's weak patent laws. Will generics be kicked out?

An ongoing case in Madras High Court has brought forth a damning revelation: the Indian government remains confused about its patent laws and the latter are now under threat. A May 2006 petition filed by Novartis, the pharmaceutical multinational, has sought changes in India's patent laws. Potent enough to restrict access to affordable medicines in developing countries, the case is pointer to the messy cluster of laws in the country's pharmaceutical sector.