Prevent drug companies from blocking generic drugs

It is encouraging to see that (almost) President Barack Obama has already promised to focus on the global HIV challenge, in the The Obama-Biden plan to combat global HIV/AIDS. The Obama-Biden plan notes that they believe more must be done to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB. It reminds us that Obama and his wife both publicly had an HIV test in Kenya in 2006. 'to encourage African men and women to be tested for the disease.' Would that this might also encourage Indonesia's president and his wife to do the same.

Obama/Biden plan directly addresses access to generic drugs to treat HIV. It pledges to 'break the stranglehold that a few big drug ... companies have on these life-saving drugs.' Wow! That will be among the most challenging of all the promises he has made. Let's hope he succeeds.

I heard yesterday on NPR that the St. Petersburg Time has set up an 'obameter', to hold him accountable for his promises. They note that he made 510 promises, and I'm not sure all of the promises in the Obama/Biden plan made it into the list. However, Promise No. 72 was to 'Prevent drug companies from blocking generic drugs,' as well as No. 84, to 'Provide $50 billion by 2013 for the global fight against HIV/AIDS,' so at least these will be monitored.

Unfortunately, the plan makes no mention of lifting the HIV-related travel ban in the USA. This was of course not an Obama promise. However, Bob Munk from the AIDS Infonet in New Mexico notes:

Patience, folks! We are confident the ban will be lifted by the new Department of Health and Human Services. It will take their action on regulations. We don’t know how high up the list it is...

Let's hope...

Babé