The US government has initiated legal proceedings against Brazil, by way of the Globe Trade Organisation’s dispute settlement physique, claiming that ZM241385 Brazil’s production of generic HIV drugs breaks international laws on patent protection. Brazilian laws give patent protection to foreign drug corporations if they manufacture their product in Brazil. These laws have permitted regional Brazilian corporations to manufacture generic HIV drugs at low cost. The United states has complained towards the Planet Trade Organisation that this requirement for nearby production discriminates against the US pharmaceutical business. Bernard P oul, director from the M ecins Sans Fronti es’ Access to Crucial Medicinescampaign, mentioned: “The lives of hundreds of a large number of patients depend on this technique [in Brazil]. The US action may also intimidate countries which would like to take up Brazil’s offer to help them create AIDS medicines.” Brazil’s wellness ministry estimates that the number of deaths from AIDS has halved since it started distributing totally free HIV drugs. A ministry spokesperson said, “This policy has resulted in a important improvement inside the quality of life of men and women living with HIV and AIDS, at the same time savings for the Brazilian government amounting to 422m (81m).” Concern is growing among aid agencies that the trade rules administered by the Globe Trade Organisation are hindering access to critical medicines inside the creating world. Although the guidelines allow poor countries to create their own generic drugs, these countries’ attempts to do so have frequently been met by US threats of trade sanctions (BMJ 2000;320:207) or legal challenges by pharmaceutical corporations. Within a case that goes to court on 5 March, a coalition of 40 drug organizations is suing the South African government–with Nelson Mandela named as a defendant–for manufacturing generic HIV drugs. “Limiting generic manufac-A Brazilian protests about federal spending cuts for AIDS treatmentturing capacity is inside the interests from the pharmaceutical market,” said Ellen `t Hoen of M ecins Sans Fronti es. “And the US, by its trade threats, is sending out the message, `don’t mess with our pharmaceutical corporations.’ ” Oxfam launched its own campaign (Reduce the cost) this week, which calls for a change on the planet Trade Organisation’s trade rules to create it simpler for poor nations to manufacture low price drugs. Justin Forsyth, Oxfam’s director of policy, stated, “The Planet Trade Organisation must alter the guidelines that the drug market is now working with to cripple inexpensive, local competitors, which in turn is inflating the costof new and patented medicines.” Within a move that could begin an international cost war on HIV drugs, an Indian generic drugs manufacturer, Cipla, has announced that it can sell triple mixture HIV therapy to M ecins sans Fronti es for 350 a year per patient. The price to governments will likely be 600 a year per patient. Five significant drug businesses promised last year to cut the costs of its HIV drugs within the building world (BMJ 2000;320:1357), but their prices are nonetheless three times those supplied by Cipla.Oxfam’s Cut the price campaign is at http://www.oxfam.org.uk/cutthecostFury as Australia appoints former sector lobbyist to drugs watchdogChristopher Zinn SydneyThe federal government in Australia is becoming wi.