PFIZER DONATION PROTECTS PROFITS WHILE PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS DIE!

INVITATION TO PICKET
Monday, 26 June 2000
13h00 - 14h00
Pfizer head office, 102 Rivonia Road, corner Johan Street, Sandton
--Johannesburg
Transport will leave at 12h30 from Gauteng TAC offices, c/o AIDS Consortium,
4th floor, Auckland house, corner Biccard and Smit Street, Braamfontein

CONTACT
Pholokgholo Ramothwala, Gauteng TAC coordinator, 011-403 0265,
pholokgolo@hotmail.com
Email: info@tac.org.za Website: www.tac.org.za

WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND?

In the last two months people across Southern Africa and the world rejoiced
when they heard that the drug company Pfizer would donate fluconazole free
of charge to people with HIV/AIDS. The donation was for cryptococcal
meniningitis and covered people who could not afford the drug. TAC supported
the Health Minister and governments acceptance of the donation. We hoped
that drug companies had at last learnt that peoples lives were more
important than profits. We were wrong. The Treatment Action Campaign
(TAC) has learnt from Pfizer representatives that they:

- Insist on limiting their donation to a period of two and a half yearsthe
exact period when their fluconazole patent or exclusive licence to sell will
expire.
- Refuse to extend the offer to treat thrush (see TAC leaflet).
- Refuse to include countries other than South Africa in the offer.
- Refuse to reduce the price to lower than R4.00 per capsule for all other
uses.

By refusing to negotiate, Pfizer is condemning countless people to suffering
and possible death because they cannot afford the unreasonable price that
the company is putting on the drug. Pfizers gift appears to have been a
fraud to protect their profits. Therefore, TAC will organise people
nationally and allies internationally to take action against the
companythis action will include: demonstrations, pickets, consumer action
and litigation.

We urge the Minister of Health to continue the negotiations to accept the
Pfizer donation because it will help save lives, while all of us engage in
action to make Pfizer see reason.

We urge every individual and organisation to join the following activities:

- Join the Global March for HIV/AIDS Treatment Access starting at 13h00 on 9
July 2000 in Durban sponsored by TAC and HealthGap Coalition. Endorsed by
Cosatu and Nactu.
- Attend the MSF/TAC conference on Access to affordable treatment in
Developing Countries from 09h00 to 13h00 in the Durban City Hall on 09
July 2000