Key Partners In Global Health Battle AIDS (NAPSA)—Global efforts to fight disease and improve public health have been helped significantly by the humanitarian efforts of one Americanindustry. The pharmaceutical industry’s health spending in developing countries rivals that of the World Health Organization. In 2002, the pharmaceutical industry donated more than $800 million in medicines to the developing world. Since 1998, that amount is more than $2.7 billion. More important, the collaboration among pharmaceutical companies and their partners—many of the world’s leading humanitarian, academic, governmental, mul- tilateral and community-based organizations—havebenefited tens of millions of people living in more than 100 developing countries around the world. The battle against AIDSis one area that enormousstrides have been made in. Here are some of the industry’s contributions, according to PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America). * Boehringer Ingelheim donated medication that prevents mother-to-child transmission of HIV in 36 developing countries for five years. Merck enhances Botswana’s national response to AIDS in the areas of education, care, support and treatment by $50 million. Bristol-Myers Squibb initiated a five-year, $115 million program to address the needs of women and children affected by AIDS in countries in Southern and WestAfrica. Abbott created a multi-million dollar program to improve af Many pharmaceutical compa- nies pledged to remain involved until the diseases they are fight- ing have been eradicated. local health care services for children affected by AIDS and provide HIV counseling and education in Tanzania, Burkina Faso, India and Romania. Pfizer donated training for health care workers and medicine to fight life-threatening opportunistic infections in 12 African nations and Haiti. Novartis provided psychological care to AIDS orphans and counseling training in Tanzania. Johnson & Johnson trained people in Thailand in the benefits of touch and infant massage to the overall well-being of orphaned and abandoned HIV-infected babies andchildren. GlaxoSmithKline began a program in 27 developing nations that helps community-based organizations deliver HIV education, prevention, care and support. From the original decision to contribute medicine, a company’s commitment often expands to include the creation of networks, training, tools and infrastructure needed to administer the medicine or implement preventive measures.
