South African health officials indicate that the government may circumvent the pharmaceutical industry's legal challenge of its proposal to import and manufacture generic AIDS drugs by declaring a national emergency. The overwhelming support from drug industry protesters and Merck's move to offer further reduced AIDS treatment prices has led the government to abandon its prior stance of not violating patents and considering taking advantage of a World Trade Organization clause. The government would then be in a position to accept Cipla's offer of inexpensive generic AIDS drugs. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of South Africa's Mirryena Deeb asserts that her group would fight such a move because the government has never accepted the offer of free or discounted drugs from multinationals before.

Other CDC News for March 12, 2001

South Africa May Cite Crisis to Lower Cost of AIDS Drugs Yale Pressed to Help Cut Drug Costs in Africa Merck & Co. Behind Cipla's Offer of Cheap AIDS Drugs: Potent Mix of Motives	Africa: Ivory Coast Makes Deal for Cheaper HIV Drugs AIDS Permeates Uganda Politics Too Public Health Spending Up in City, Town of Burlington; Sexually Transmitted Disease Cases Jumped 50 Percent From 1999 Russians Admit to 300,000 HIV Cases
Insulin Resistance in HIV Lipodystrophy Syndrome