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.
