Isabel Michaca January 24, 2021 Professor Juan Olmedo SCN 194 7727 HIV/AIDS SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
Film Reflection 6 Fire in the Blood
Patent laws have hurt fights against HIV/AIDS because pharmaceuticals didn't want to give the people the drugs or right medication to people infected with AIDS in Uganda of Africa it was nonstop funerals their populations increased with cases. A court judge Edwin Cameron Justice of the Constitutional Court in South Africa who was diagnosed with HIV in the year of 1986 but fell ill with it 11 years later in 1997. He was unable to walk and he also faced death he had 4 of 5 divining symptoms of AIDS. In 1996 everything changed when a combination of ARV's proved it was successful in fighting HIV. It was compared to the Lazarus Effect which was in film 5. He felt as if his life had been given back to him because he felt normal again. The drug was sold internationally at the cost of almost $15,000. They took up a third of his judicial salary. It not that the pharmacies didn't want to give the drug to the people it is because of expensive it was so people couldn't afford it. They should be changed because not everyone has access to patented drugs which caused a lot of money. Some had to smuggle the drug because of how expensive it was. Zachey a man who runs a campaign for the drug was breaking the law when he started smuggling the drug. One of his family members had died from the disease HIV but the drug helped her boost up her life a little bit, but she later died because of not being able to afford the drug. It was smuggled under the brand name Diflucan. A generic version which was more affordable than the original price was sold at a little pharmacy but that was in Thailand. All these patent drugs shouldn't have to be so expensive it should be the same price as any other medicine if it's to help save lives then it should be. It should change by it being distributed to all countries around the world not just one place. It also shouldn't be overpriced.