Oxfam has welcomed today's announcement of a deal to supply cut-price AIDS drugs to developing countries but has called for a change in rules to give countries the automatic right to produce generic medicines.
Oxfam welcomed the agreement brokered by The Clinton Presidential Foundation that will provide access to generic medicines for people in countries including Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania at less than a third of the cost of patented versions.
Oxfam's Executive Director Brian Scott said: "This is a welcome breakthrough and shows how generic competition can help drive down prices. Clinton has shown extraordinary leadership in the fight against HIV and in championingthe right of people to affordable treatment.
But he said: "Sadly, actions like Clinton's will face serious obstacles as of 2005, when, under current global patent rules, developing countries will lose the automatic right to produce generic medicines. These rules must be changed if we are to make real progress in the fight against HIV and the drive for access to cheap medicines.
He continued: "A further challenge is for donors to commit to financing the global health fund, which is under-provided for next year.#
"The fund should be used to buy the new drugs and support the health services in poor countries so that medicines can be properly distributed and administered."