On the last day on the conference, a contingent of several hundred Brazilians
and other Latin Americans staged a march through the conference exhibtion
hall. Here is what they had to say.
Brazilian Manifesto
We live in a moment of unquestionable advancement in HIV/AIDS care and
treatment, but the majority of people living with AIDS in developing countries
or disadvantaged communities in the developed world have no access to the
new antiviral therapy.
The Brazilians attending the XIth International Conference on AIDS, including
the National Program on STD-AIDS, Ministry of Health, Brazil - one of the
most important clients of the pharmaceutical industry in the third world
- understand that scientific advances shoudl provide benefits for the majority
rather than perpetuating existing inequalities.
In this context, a sum of efforts must be developed by all communities represented
int his conference, especially the pharmaceutical industry, through social
programs targeting disadvantaged communities or negotiated price reductions
of, at least, 35%.
Only with the all-encompassing effort can we fulfill the conference's goal
- one world, one hope.
