Comments on: Some humourless links

By: Michael Keizer

Michael Keizer — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:04:01 +0000

Thanks for the pointer, Jurgen! I think it is actually a good illustration of what I am trying to say: the book seems to be predicated (as is e.g. UNITAID) on a belief that solving issues on the procurement side of AR drugs will automatically solve all problems of ART. However, in reality issues surrounding logistics and infrastructure (including human infrastructure, i.e. doctors, nurses, and other practitioners) will probably still cause big problems. In fact, cost of logistics, HR, and drugs to treat opportunistic infections (one that is often too easily forgotten) can be a multiple of the procurement cost of AR drugs.

BTW: don’t you think it is great that ‘t Hoen decided to publish the book under a Creative Commons licence?

By: Jurgen

Jurgen — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:23:12 +0000

Re; Glaxo, note the new book by Ellen ‘t Hoen “The global Politics of pharmaceutical monopoly power”; http://tinyurl.com/cden9f.

She is now advisor of Unitaid for the patent pool, see also:
http://tinyurl.com/coqx7h

By: Michael Keizer

Michael Keizer — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:31:43 +0000

In fact it is an interesting question, which boils down to what world view you have. I guess Lianne is a unabashed and unmitigated utilitarian — a rapidly vanishing minority, so we should cherish them.

By: Alanna

Alanna — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:14:01 +0000

Thanks for linking to me. If someone would like to go explain to Lianne in the comments – “why is it unethical to make people with HIV take drugs that makes them not contagious? If I had HIV, I wouldn’t want to risk giving the disease to other people. Is there something I don’t know about the drugs that’s really unpleasant, that makes this wrong?” – I’d be grateful! I just couldn’t face explaining it to her, myself.