Argentina, Brazil to Produce Antiretroviral Drugs Together to Improve Access for HIV-Positive People

Argentina and Brazil -- which both provide medication to HIV-positive people at no cost -- plan to establish a co-owned factory where they will produce antiretroviral drugs in an effort to lower the cost of the medications in both countries, Reuters AlertNet reports (Reuters AlertNet, 1/18). The two countries, which in August 2005 agreed to jointly produce generic antiretroviral drugs, announced they would begin sharing information and technology and would arrange meetings between experts. They did not say if they will break international patents to produce the generic drugs (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/26/05). Although an exact location has not been determined, the factory possibly will be built in Argentina, Argentine Health Minister Gines Gonzalez Garcia said. Construction, which is expected to start in the next few months, will cost about $10 million, according to estimates by experts in both countries (Latin American News Digest, 1/19). Drugs to fight other diseases also will be produced at the factory (Reuters AlertNet, 1/18).

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