April 14, 2009

Is Big Pharma Stifling AIDS Research?

The pharmaceutical industry is stifling the innovation and development of new treatments for HIV, and those who should be representing the interests of people with HIV are too dependent on pharmaceutical funding to be effective watchdogs, according to an article in Frontiers IN LA magazine.

“While The New York Times and New England Journal of Medicine were investigating and exposing flagrant conflicts of interest and abuse of power in psychiatry, diabetes and hypertension medical specialties, those same rampant conflicts of interest and abuse of public trust have never been explored in HIV/AIDS,” said Mike Barr, from the AIDS Transparency & Accountability Project, who is quoted exclusively throughout the article.

Barr speculates that lack of public attention to possible conflicts of interest might allow industry to stifle research into newer and more innovative treatments for HIV and to continue focusing instead on profits from existing HIV drugs. He says that marketing research reports developed for the pharmaceutical industry are sprinkled with references to “guarding against sales erosion.”

Though Barr doesn’t think that HIV doctors and activists are “villains,” in this scenario, he says, they are often forced by necessity to become dependent on pharmaceutical funding. This, he says, could lead them to become ineffective advocates for better treatments. He worries that the average person living with HIV might assume that those advocating on their behalf are free of pharmaceutical influence when that might not be the case. Barr, however, says that he has personally seen an improvement in the past year in terms of more openness in discussing this issue and possible solutions

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Scott, New York, 2009-04-16 22:10:56
We live in a Capitalist society where profit drives most activity. Big Pharma is the quintessential capitalist as it invents treatments, not cures, to secure its client base and reap high profits for its investors. If anyone thinks Big Pharma will discover or reveal cures for HIV/Aids, then let Santa Claus hide the eggs, the Easter Bunny give candy canes, and the Great Pumpkin leave money for lost teeth.

John, San Fran, 2009-04-16 15:25:37
WEll, if there ever were a cure for ADS you can be sure the Pope would ban it!

Bradley R. Huston, Gardena, 2009-04-16 01:38:13
I have always thought this, I did not take HIV medication because I did not trust them. I was diagnosed in 1995, when I finally came down with PCP (a year ago last Christmas) I started to take them. Now my liver chemistries are way off, but what is really a concern, my kidneys are affected by the extreme amount of toxic chemicals they fear on me. They use fear to keep you on many more drugs than nesscesary. The pharmaceautcal companies, not the doctors, are profiting on those who are sick.

techcafe, , 2009-04-15 16:29:36
there's no money in cures... but there is HUGE profit in treatment 'products' the entire pharmaceutical 'industry' is rotten to the core with greed & corruption

Frederick Wright, Tampa Florida, 2009-04-15 08:55:59
Futhermore,It makes a lot of sense the that AIDS Inc in America or the advocates of old are in bed with Pharma and down in the south we would say it is difficult for a Dog to bite the one that feed them. Just good old fashion Politics and Capitialism.. I hope the HIV community wakes up an stops following the lead of the AIDS profession and grow some courage and new concepts for AIDS is not over and 30 million people on our Globe do not have Meds, like us in the USA. Wake up ...

Frederick Wright, Tampa, Florida, 2009-04-15 08:51:46
Very well stated ,I don't think Big Pharma shifting research for they will alway be looking for new block buster drug. A lot of other drugs come from AIDS research for one Drug Company boast loudly that during their reseach projects what a suprise that they discovered Vigra..$$$. Although since Gilead is taking over a large part of the market many will be focusing on other sellable item, which I think Pharma will be doing more organic and nature research in the future for that is becoming big