Red Cross demands cheaper AIDS medication

The existing price structure of drugs to combat the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome was not acceptable and must be revised, said the AIDS committee of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva Monday.

"The present balance of resource allocation and pricing of drugs is unacceptable and needs to be re-designed as it does not allow access to care and treatment for the vast majority of people living with HIV/AIDS," said the statement.

The federation called on its 176 members worldwide to support countries like South Africa in their battle to bring about price reductions in AIDS medication. The Red Cross said the cost of medicines to fight malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases should also be reduced.

Leading pharmaceutical companies are involved in a court case in South Africa where they are trying to prevent the use of cheaper, generic anti-AIDS medication. They claim this contravenes patent protection law which allows them to reclaim high development costs by charging high prices.

(la/dpa)