Activists state that trade policies being sought by the Bush White House may prohibit access in some countries and regions to the low cost generics available through the Clinton initiative, and to generic versions of newer medicines.

"The candidates for 2004, including President Bush, must pledge to reverse the current trade policies in so-called "free trade agreements" that place patents over the lives of millions of people with AIDS," stated Paul Davis from Health GAP. "We are faced with the most devastating crisis in history, and the White House is most concerned with campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical industry."

"This price reduction would double the number of people who could start life extending treatment," said Asia Russell of Health GAP. "Generic competition is critical to rapid scale up of treatment access, and to overcoming the patent barriers that are blocking access to fixed dose combinations of triple drug therapy. But access to generics is under threat thanks to the Bush administration's unrelenting efforts to enhance patent rights and drug company profits in bilateral and regional trade negotiations with Central America, the South African Customs Union, the Free Trade Area of the Americas, Thailand, and Morocco to name only a few," said Russell.

"President Bush has talked a good talk about the global AIDS pandemic, but his actions speak louder. He reduced his 2004 promise from $3 billion to $2 billion, undermined the cash-strapped Global AIDS Fund, and pursues trade policies that will deny access to affordable generics," stated Health GAP's Sharonann Lynch. "Bush announced his 'emergency' plan in January of 2003, but so far has only managed to hire a former pharmaceutical executive as his global AIDS czar."

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