AEGiS-14IAC: Dominicans call for fight against HIV/AIDS.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Dominicans call for fight against HIV/AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. G12494)

Alberius H, Lebouche B, Cadore B
Dominican Order, Lyon, France

ISSUES: Dominican Catholic religious from over a hundred countries, gathered for their General Chapter summer of 2001, called on "all men and women of good will" to put an end to the injustice concerning access to means of care for persons infected by HIV/AIDS. While the disease is global, access to care is not globalized. The Dominicans ask national and international organizations to do all in their power to improve the lives of those suffering from HIV/AIDS, and to support prevention programs that respect the dignity of the human person. Their appeal states that the effective means of containing the epidemic - medical care, information and education, structures for adequate care - are out of reach for the poorer countries, who still are the most affected.

RECOMMENDATIONS: The Dominicans denounce the pervers effects of the actual use of pharmaceutical patents (the TRIPS Agreement), which prevents access to generic medications in developing countries. They ask governments of the wealthiest countries to reduce the debt of poorer indebted nations in order to allow them to use that money in the fight against HIV. They ask governments of developing countries, assisted by NGO's, to put in place an effective policy of information and prevention, of defense of the family, and of education of human sexuality; that they make the fight against Aids a national priority; that they import and produce generic drugs in greater quantities; that they, with international help, assure necessary material structures so that the sick can have access to care. They ask UNAIDS, along with pharmaceutical companies and governments, to put in place an effective policy to fight AIDS in developing countries, and to activate the Fonds de Soutien Therapeutique International (FSTI). The Dominican order was founded in the 13th century. Today it counts around 11.000 friars and nuns, thousands of apostolic sisters, plus thousands of lay persons around the world.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Developing Countries, Disease Outbreaks, Poverty, Drugs, Generic, Patents, Socioeconomic Factors, Human, Female, Male

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