Pharmaceutical Companies, Intellectual Property, and the Global Aids Epidemic

Pharmaceutical Companies, Intellectual Property, and the Global AIDS Epidemic

1) Do pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to distribute drugs for free or at low cost in developing countries? What are the main arguments for and against such an approach? What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving drugs for free versus offering them at low no-profit prices?

* Pharmaceutical companies are not always required to distribute drugs for free or at a low cost in developing countries unless they are facing epidemics or a health emergency. As discussed in this case AIDS has taken over South Africa and due to peoples lack of knowledge along with their low income they are unable to afford the drugs to help treat HIV/AIDS. This has caused millions of deaths in the country and has made awareness of this issue more popular. Some of the arguments regarding this issue is that the treatment, R&D costs of developing the drug are so high that giving them away for free or at low cost would essentially hurt the manufacturer of the drug not allowing them enough money to continue to produce it. With AIDS specifically, there is no known cure and all the drug would be doing is slowing down someone’s death, maybe even allowing them to potentially live longer, causing them to perhaps continue to spread the disease. However, many suggest with quick treatment, such as what was done in Brazil, the death rate could eventually be cut in half and progress against the fight for AIDS could finally be made. Some of the drug-free programs stated that they want to test what the drug has on survival. However, some are worried about corruption and diversion of the sample of drugs if it is free because they may not get to the necessary people and perhaps they may try to sell the drugs to people within the country to make money off of them. If they are sold at low no-profit prices the company still has some control over who is purchasing them as well as they are able to...