U.S. Firms To Provide Cheap HIV Drugs to Caribbean
A deal between two major U.S. drug companies will allow access to cheap HIV/AIDS medication to Caribbean nations, Agence France Presse reports. The agreement was announced by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who started the Clinton Global Initiative, after he left office. “Today’s announcement will help ensure we can sustain treatment over a lifetime and better treat patients with both HIV and TB, two key steps in turning the tide of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic,” Clinton said in a statement.  With the agreement, between Mylan and Matrix, a package of four antiviral medications, atazanavir, rionavir, tenofovir and lamivudine along with a combination of tenofovir and lamivudine will be sold for $425 dollars. This could save patients $400 million over the span of five years, according to the foundation. In addition to the Caribbean, the reduced priced medication will be available to countries involved in the Clinton Foundation’s Procurement Consortium in Africa, Asia and Latin America, reports AFP.
 

Migrant Boats Crash in Algeria A vessel belonging to Algeria’s coast guard crashed into three migrant boats leaving at least one person dead and 11 missing in the port city Annaba, the BBC reports. Eighteen people were hurt. The boats reportedly ignored requests from authorities asking them to stop. Many use the waters in that region to escape in boats (which are often shoddy) to Europe in hopes to find a better life. Just this year, 400 people have been stopped by the city’s coast guard, according to a local radio station.

TAGS: Algeria, Caribbean, HIV Drugs, migrants

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