Yale pressed to help cut drug costs in Africa

17 April 2001. Related: Treatment access.

Yale University has become entangled in the battle to get inexpensive AIDS drugs to Africa.

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders has asked the school to allow South Africa to import a generic version of d4T, a Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) drug on which Yale holds the patent. While the university – noting a patent deal with BMS – rejected the charity’s request, Yale issued a statement Friday noting it had eliminated any barriers to the drug company supplying the drug in South Africa. In an effort to help the drug – which is sold by BMS under the brand name Zerit – reach South Africa, a group of law students at Yale has been planning to pressure the school and has alleged that there are possible conflicts of interest between BMS and the university.

Source: CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update