Thirty-nine pharmaceutical companies have dropped their court bid to prevent South Africa from importing cheap copies of their patented AIDS drugs. Announcing the decision this morning, a lawyer for the firms said that they would also pay the government's costs. South Africa, with an estimated 4.7 sufferers, has more people living with HIV or AIDS than any other country in the world.
The case was a landmark one testing the ability of the globes poorest nations to obtain affordable medicine supplies in the fight against the AIDS epidemic. More than 25m people in Africa are affected by the illness. South Africa's Health Minister said that the benefits stretched beyond South Africa. "This is a victory not just for South Africa, but for Africa and the whole developing world," she said. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang went on to thank everyone who supported the cause.
Mirryena Deeb of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association said that by this settlement South Africa has agreed to meet its international trade obligations. Ms Deeb denied that the settlement was a result of public pressure.
Kevin Watkins of Oxfam was more sceptical. Speaking to the Reuters News Agency, he said that the drugs companies had been forced to withdraw in a damage limitation exercise. "This case should never have happened. We have lost three years in the fight against AIDS, but it is a great victory for the people of South Africa and for the global campaign to make drugs more affordable," he added.
