ByMauro Libi Crestani. “Of diseases in the Third World, AIDS is getting the most attention and focus. Not coincidentally, it is also one of the few diseases that remain a threat to Third World countries.” This is a quote in 1999. South Africa was being sued by Pfizer Drug company for trying to manufacture it’s own cheaper AID’s medication or to import the drug from India. Pfizer had a patent on this medication and South Africa just could not afford its high price.
In the middle of 1999, the interests of the pharmaceutical industry (via lobbying through Vice President Al Gore) had resulted in the US actually threatening South Africa with trade sanctions for trying to develop generic and cheaper drugs to fight AIDS etc.
The possible implications of such a trade sanction would have been considerable when realizing that, according to UNICEF, more people in Africa have died from AIDS than from conflicts.
We can understand how Africa had an obligation to try to save its citizens. The Drug companies are not charities. No matter how heartless it may sound, the drug companies are private companies. Their responsibility is to their stockholders only. They are in business to make money. Also without the profits from the medications there would not be money to do drug research. So we can understand the two sides.
After much public outcry the drug companies relented in 2001 and allowed access to the cheaper AIDs medication. But it was only because of all the bad publicity.
As the concept of Share Value Initiative became more popular, the drug companies thinking began to change. The Drug Companies began to see how supplying the AIDs medication to countries in Africa would actually benefit their company.
The Global Health Fellows Program (GHF) is an international corporate volunteer program that places Pfizer colleagues and teams in short term assignments with leading international development organizations in key emerging markets. During assignments Fellows transfer their professional medical and business expertise in ways that promote access, quality and efficiency of health services for people in greatest need.Mauro Libi Crestani.
Since 2003, over 300 Pfizer colleagues, from offices around the world, have participated in the program working in close to 45 countries. Assignments are focused on optimizing supply chains and business functions, and scaling up promising health prevention approaches. Via the program, Pfizer has partnered with over 40 international development organizations.
These countries which are receiving the benefits from the Global Health program may not be able to be a market for the drug companies at present as their health and economy improves they will be a perspective market in the future. The drug companies are still about money, but their attitude has changed to one as partnering with the same companies they once fought for the mutual benefit of all. Mauro Libi Crestani.
