A política brasileira de distribuição e produção de medicamentos anti-retrovirais: privilégio ou um direito?

Abstract

This article focuses on the Brazilian National AIDS Program and its policy of distributing and producing antiretroviral drugs, emphasizing links between local decisions and global HIV/AIDS policies. Emphasizing recent developments in the Brazilian and international scenario with regard to access to treatment for people with HIV/AIDS, the article highlights the participation by the pharmaceutical industry, governments, civil society, and UN agencies in establishing responses to the pandemic. The author concludes by identifying transnational activism as a key response to both the power of pharmaceutical corporations and the law of the market (including patent laws), thus fostering global solidarity for people with HIV/AIDS.

New drugs in Brazil: do they meet Brazilian public health needs?

“…In this group, 10 systemic antibacterials (J01) and five systemic antivirals (J05) were registered in Brazil, although antiviral drugs, which account for only 4.6% of the total and 26.3% of drugs in group J, are essential in the treatment of AIDS, of which 30 886 new cases and 10 895 were reported in the country in 2004 (43). The disease burden, along with the level of effectiveness of organized groups (10,26), are reflected in the priority assigned by the National STD-AIDS Program to drug availability. In 2002, the Ministry of Health of Brazil allocated 516 million reals (US$ 190 million) to the purchase of antiretroviral drugs (44).…”

“…Furthermore, new drugs are introduced at an ever lower rate, and public health needs are only partially met. The patent system has not been working as claimed-i.e., to ensure true innovation in accordance with the concept of therapeutic innovation (51)-and a new framework is needed if current health problems are to be overcome (10,52).…”

“…PNAB has targeted the following strategic action areas: the elimination of Hansen's disease and the control of tuberculosis, arterial hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, among others, and made available a fully operational program for AIDS that has now been in place for more than a decade (9,10).…”

Patentes farmacêuticas e saúde pública: desafios à política brasileira de acesso ao tratamento anti-retroviral

“…Entretanto, o alto preço dos medicamentos componentes do HAART constituiu uma das principais razões para que milhões de indivíduos permanecessem à margem do tratamento 34 . Uma campanha lançada por ativistas sociais provenientes de diversas organizações não-governamentais 42 , que contou com o envolvimento de políticos, acadê-micos, representantes governamentais, organizações internacionais, personalidades e mídia, logrou engajar a opinião pública internacional na defesa do acesso ao tratamento anti-retroviral enquanto medidas de justiça social e de proteção dos direitos humanos. O Brasil, renomado pelo sucesso do seu programa para HIV/AIDS, participou na defesa dessa causa em inúmeras instâncias internacionais.…”

Perfil antropométrico e distribuição da gordura corpórea relacionados ao risco cardiovascular em adultos vivendo com HIV/AIDS

“…Em 1988 no Brasil, deu-se inicio na rede pública de saúde, o fornecimento de medicamentos para infecções oportunistas com AIDS, porém somente em 1991 é que teve início a distribuição gratuita e universal da terapia antirretroviral (30) .…”