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Contributions from
the Column
Facts and trends
Results of renewables 2004
The security threat of climate change
Growth engine micro finance
G7 split on debt relief
Kenya: accusations of corruption
USA authorises generic AIDS drugs
GDI course for university graduates
Arab Human Development Report
ACP countries and EU sugar-regime reform
03/2005
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USA authorises
generic AIDS drugs
For the first time, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved of an AIDS medication from a foreign generic drug manufacturer. In late of January, the Administration granted the AIDS cocktail produced by the South African pharmaceutical company Aspen Pharmacare authorisation for the US market.
As a result, aid organisations that participate in the 15 billion dollar US programme to fight against AIDS may, in future, buy the inexpensive copycat drugs from South Africa. Until now, they were only allowed to purchase patented brand products with aid money. The US government had justified this expensive policy by placing doubt on the effectiveness of cheap medications. Organisations such as Doctors without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières, however, had accused it of wanting to support the pharmaceutical industry in the USA. (ell)
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