*disgusted*

At least 68 million people will die by 2020 unless there are “drastically expanded” efforts to prevent and treat HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, U.N. experts said.

Despite the tragedy of the sheer numbers, it was actually two comparisons in the article that had me shaking my head in disbelief.

First: “The U.N. prediction of 68 million more deaths is limited to the 45 nations most heavily affected by the disease — yet the figure would eclipse the 55 million killed in World War II.”

Second: “In the United States, these AIDS drug cocktails can cost $12,000 to $15,000 a year. Under international pressure, drug companies have lowered their costs for such medicines to $500 a year in developing nations; and generic versions can be made for $350.”

The first just reinforces my belief that the U.S. government commitment to defeating this disease is pathetically low.

The second is disgusting because I’m sure there’s little if any difference in the true costs of producing these drugs. Actual production costs plus recovered research costs plus a reasonable profit for the investors should lead to a set price for a drug. The question then becomes why there are differences in costs and regardless of the rationale, the apparant result is that the sick in the U.S. are subsidizing the care of the sick elsewhere. That’s just wrong.

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