PART 5: I think that it is ridiculous that researchers were, at a point, more concerned with intellectual property then providing the poor affordable medication. The situation was better when the companies eventually dropped their prices, but the poor countries and people in them could still not afford it. There have been plans in place that would cost billions of dollars but would provide the medication for free to countries that could not afford it. However, these plans (the triple cocktail) were not thought to be possible by the American government. Early on it seemed like an impossible task to give this medication to people in Africa because they live in places that are not really accessible (these medications require refrigeration and doctors to be readily available). There were attempts at a Christian responses to the HIV crisis. We should make it our goal to respond to the poor. They need help and it is our responsibility to do what we can to help them. President George W. Bush wanted to implement a plan to help AIDS situation. The problem was that this plan may not be feasible for many reasons. To everyone's surprise, the President addressed the issue and put a lot of money into the cause. Instead of putting the money into the global fund which encompassed many countries, Bush focused only on Africa and the Caribbean where the need was the greatest. Other countries where the pandemic was spreading to were left on their own because it was thought that they had the resources that would enable them to take care of their needs. These countries with a rising HIV rate, at first denied that they had a problem.
PART 6: Beijing tried to deny SARS until the issue became too large to ignore. After this, a lesson was learned, and the Chinese governemnt realized that a problem such as AIDS would seriously effect their country. Doctors visited countrysides where AIDS was most prevalent and stressed the need to use condoms. Not only were they being used to keep from reproducing to make sure the population stayed down in China, but also now to prevent the spread of AIDS. Only a few of the drugs were offered for free, whereas in the U.S. there are many more drugs available. Some patients need the other kinds of drugs because of side effects, for example. The triple cocktail has to be taken daily. AIDS can be supressed, but not eradicated. So, to keep the patients alive, they must take the drugs for life. The developing countries do not have the resources available that we do to keep up with the disease. Many who could not afford the drugs thought that they would be available from America for free, but the demand was much higher than the supply. A major part of the plan was to discuss prevention (condoms) but it made some in the U.S. concerned. The U.S. government instead wanted to push abstinence. As one woman in Uganda expressed, abstinence works for some people but not for others. Some girls and women are forced into prostitution. The United States promoted abstinence over condoms. People in Uganda disagree with this message because it is not a possibility for some. Those condoms need to be available. Brazil rejected money from America for the prevention of AIDS because they said that there are strings attached.
PART 7: South Africa was supposed to be one of the largest recipients from the AIDS plan, but the president of South Africa banned the triple cocktail. The court ruled that the government could not deny the treatment to the people. The amount of people with the treatment is too minimal. If we want to eradicate the problem, we need to provide it to everyone in need.There are limits to the drug therapy. People on the drug cocktail lived about 8 years. Now, patients are living much longer and quality of life is better. Brazil is better off than other developing countries. Even though the drugs are helping tremendously, there needs to be a long term commitment. These people need the drugs for life and if the money runs out, the supply runs out, and they will die. There are currently 40 million infections and will be 40 million more infections in the future. The plan will never be able to keep up unless some drastic measures are taken. Researchers are developing a gel to kill the virus on contact to protect women against men who refuse to wear a condom. Women could protect themselves without the male knowing it. There is no vaccine or cure yet because of how special this virus is and the way it reproduces. It would then take a while to implement. Over the years HIV/AIDS has become an epidemic.
In order to perform HIV research internationally, it is important that the United States respect the other countries. The U.S. needs to make progress in a way that the other countries feel comfortable. The video talked about working with doctors in Africa to provide the medication and discuss prevention of AIDS. This must be completed in Africa's own way. We are not able to force a certain routine on another country. They must do it in a way that they feel comfortable so that they are inclined to and are able to keep up with it. One thing is for sure, more can be and should be done to stop this epidemic. What do you think about what has been done so far in the prevention of HIV? What should be implemented in the future? Should focus be primarily placed on the countries that need the most support and are not able to obtain the resources that we have or all countries including the ones where HIV is beginning to spread but the country could afford to work on the problem themselves and are choosing not to?
PART 5: I think that it is ridiculous that researchers were, at a point, more concerned with intellectual property then providing the poor affordable medication. The situation was better when the companies eventually dropped their prices, but the poor countries and people in them could still not afford it. There have been plans in place that would cost billions of dollars but would provide the medication for free to countries that could not afford it. However, these plans (the triple cocktail) were not thought to be possible by the American government. Early on it seemed like an impossible task to give this medication to people in Africa because they live in places that are not really accessible (these medications require refrigeration and doctors to be readily available). There were attempts at a Christian responses to the HIV crisis. We should make it our goal to respond to the poor. They need help and it is our responsibility to do what we can to help them. President George W. Bush wanted to implement a plan to help AIDS situation. The problem was that this plan may not be feasible for many reasons. To everyone's surprise, the President addressed the issue and put a lot of money into the cause. Instead of putting the money into the global fund which encompassed many countries, Bush focused only on Africa and the Caribbean where the need was the greatest. Other countries where the pandemic was spreading to were left on their own because it was thought that they had the resources that would enable them to take care of their needs. These countries with a rising HIV rate, at first denied that they had a problem.
ReplyDeletePART 6: Beijing tried to deny SARS until the issue became too large to ignore. After this, a lesson was learned, and the Chinese governemnt realized that a problem such as AIDS would seriously effect their country. Doctors visited countrysides where AIDS was most prevalent and stressed the need to use condoms. Not only were they being used to keep from reproducing to make sure the population stayed down in China, but also now to prevent the spread of AIDS. Only a few of the drugs were offered for free, whereas in the U.S. there are many more drugs available. Some patients need the other kinds of drugs because of side effects, for example. The triple cocktail has to be taken daily. AIDS can be supressed, but not eradicated. So, to keep the patients alive, they must take the drugs for life. The developing countries do not have the resources available that we do to keep up with the disease. Many who could not afford the drugs thought that they would be available from America for free, but the demand was much higher than the supply. A major part of the plan was to discuss prevention (condoms) but it made some in the U.S. concerned. The U.S. government instead wanted to push abstinence. As one woman in Uganda expressed, abstinence works for some people but not for others. Some girls and women are forced into prostitution. The United States promoted abstinence over condoms. People in Uganda disagree with this message because it is not a possibility for some. Those condoms need to be available. Brazil rejected money from America for the prevention of AIDS because they said that there are strings attached.
PART 7: South Africa was supposed to be one of the largest recipients from the AIDS plan, but the president of South Africa banned the triple cocktail. The court ruled that the government could not deny the treatment to the people. The amount of people with the treatment is too minimal. If we want to eradicate the problem, we need to provide it to everyone in need.There are limits to the drug therapy. People on the drug cocktail lived about 8 years. Now, patients are living much longer and quality of life is better. Brazil is better off than other developing countries. Even though the drugs are helping tremendously, there needs to be a long term commitment. These people need the drugs for life and if the money runs out, the supply runs out, and they will die. There are currently 40 million infections and will be 40 million more infections in the future. The plan will never be able to keep up unless some drastic measures are taken. Researchers are developing a gel to kill the virus on contact to protect women against men who refuse to wear a condom. Women could protect themselves without the male knowing it. There is no vaccine or cure yet because of how special this virus is and the way it reproduces. It would then take a while to implement. Over the years HIV/AIDS has become an epidemic.
ReplyDeleteIn order to perform HIV research internationally, it is important that the United States respect the other countries. The U.S. needs to make progress in a way that the other countries feel comfortable. The video talked about working with doctors in Africa to provide the medication and discuss prevention of AIDS. This must be completed in Africa's own way. We are not able to force a certain routine on another country. They must do it in a way that they feel comfortable so that they are inclined to and are able to keep up with it. One thing is for sure, more can be and should be done to stop this epidemic. What do you think about what has been done so far in the prevention of HIV? What should be implemented in the future? Should focus be primarily placed on the countries that need the most support and are not able to obtain the resources that we have or all countries including the ones where HIV is beginning to spread but the country could afford to work on the problem themselves and are choosing not to?
ReplyDelete