NY Times Editorial: Children and AIDS
Posted on February 22nd, 2005 by Nate
From the New York Times February 22nd:
We are thrilled to hear that mother-to-child transmission of the AIDS
virus has been nearly wiped out in America and Western Europe, thanks
to early H.I.V. testing for pregnant women and the widespread use of
antiretroviral therapy, which inhibits the passage of the virus to
babies.
virus has been nearly wiped out in America and Western Europe, thanks
to early H.I.V. testing for pregnant women and the widespread use of
antiretroviral therapy, which inhibits the passage of the virus to
babies.
Bizarrely, this could be bad news for the rest of the
world. AIDS treatment exists for adults because adults get the disease
in America and Europe. That provides a paying market for drugs and
diagnostic tests. People with AIDS have also become vocal advocates who
have shamed the world into manufacturing AIDS drugs for poor countries.
But with few children with AIDS in rich nations, companies will have
little incentive to improve on current pediatric AIDS products, and
governments will continue to make sick children an afterthought…
Filed under: Politics and Policy