Air Ticket Tax-Funded Medicine Plan to Start in September: Officials

On Friday in Geneva, officials announced that a new plan to use a tax on airline tickets to fight AIDS, TB and malaria in poor countries could launch within five months. Brazil and France came up with the plan, which should roll out during the UN General Assembly in September. "We're going to start with an assumption of receipts of about $300 million generated by the air ticket levy in a certain number of countries," said Brazilian Ambassador Carlos Antonio da Rocha Paranhos. The plan calls for using the funds raised to centralize the buying of medicines to facilitate easier and cheaper access to drugs. While more than 40 nations have expressed support for the plan, only 14 so far have pledged to levy the tax. France will become the first nation to take part when, on July 1, it adds a tax of one to 40 euros ($1.20-$49 US) on tickets, depending on the distance traveled and the class of seat. The United States, business groups and the airlines oppose the plan; they point out that the industry is already struggling with high fuel prices and stiff competition.

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