Lobbyists Block Fight Against AIDS

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Corporate lobbyists have an undue influence on the current global trade talks, says a new report by ActionAid International. The report launches on the first day of the World Economic Forum at Davos, where 25 trade ministers will meet for a 'mini-ministerial'.

ActionAid's report, Under the influence, reveals a worldwide explosion of corporate lobbying, contributing to uneven trade rules that undermine the fight against poverty.

"Multinational corporations are using their economic might to push for trade rules that will hinder, not help poor countries. The EU and US promised that the current round of trade talks would combat poverty. Instead they are colluding with big business to ensure that only rich elites will reap the benefits," said Dominic Eagleton, ActionAid policy officer and author of the report.

The report cites examples of privileged corporate access to, and excessive influence over the WTO policymaking process. For example, drug companies, according to findings, are using WTO rules to safeguard their profits and hinder the fight against HIV and AIDS.

In 2003, the report relates, senior officials from Pfizer, the world's largest drug company, negotiated directly with the WTO's director-general and its member states to block a proposal that would allow poor countries to import cheaper copies of patented drugs during health emergencies. Drug industry lobbying at the WTO brought about a rule change last year which ensured that countries such as Brazil, India and Thailand will find it much harder to make cheaper copies of patented medicines.

Meanwhile in 2005, PhRMA, the US drug industry pressure group whose members include Pfizer and Merck, lobbied the Indian government to bring in a new law that threatens to deny AIDS treatment for up to 350,000 people who depend on low-cost Indian drugs worldwide.

More at http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=59746

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1. mass murder for the bottom line. nt

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2. Yep. Pretty Serious Stuff!

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3. This is a belleweather..for corporations. They are either in humanity

- or out!

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4. The protesters at WTO are right and they get spat upon

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5. Recommended and Kicked

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6. The AIDS thing

is what I'm really worried about. It's just so amazingly crass that the Bushies can say on one hand that they are going to send millions in aid to AIDS victims in the third world while at the same time slapping them in the face at the drug companies' request.