'Cipla, Tell the Truth'; AIDS Healthcare Foundation Launches New A...(to reduce prices for its HIV/AIDS-...),Health

reduce prices for its HIV/AIDS-related medications by two-thirds for

middle-income countries including Mexico.

-- AHF has also challenged British drug giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in

long running campaigns via protests, press conferences and lawsuits.

Some actions targeted GSK over its patent claim and steep pricing on

AZT, the first AIDS drug. Other actions focused on GSK's global pricing

and access, particularly in Africa, and its partnership with Aspencare,

a generic drug manufacturer in South Africa (where AHF opened its first

global treatment clinic in 2001), which after several years hadn't

produced any generic GSK AIDS medications.

-- AHF also spoke out loudly when the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Association of South Africa and 39 pharmaceutical companies filed a

lawsuit against the government of South Africa when it approved a law

that would allow the country to import and manufacture cheaper generic

AIDS drugs. The drug industry's move was met with 'a groundswell of

public and government opposition,' which caused some of the 'largest

firms' involved in the case to, 'rethink their strategy,' according to

'The Guardian' newspaper. In April 2001, the drug companies agreed to

drop their lawsuit, a move that AHF praised.

-- Separately, AHF has targeted Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug

company, over its reckless advertising and marketing for its erectile

dysfunction drug, Viagra. AHF hosted press conferences; issued press

statements; wrote and/or met with officials at the FDA and the FCC; and

filed a lawsuit over one of Pfizer's Viagra advertising campaigns,

which AHF believes encourage the non-medical use of the drug as a party

drug, and which AHF believes can contribute to increased risks for

exposure to sexually transm
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