Beyond HAART: scientists and activists need to work together
Journal Article
2009
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The Lancet
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Elsevier
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University of Cape Town
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Faculty
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Abstract
The two key barriers to obtaining AIDS drugs in South Africa until 2004 were the state’s support of AIDS denialism and high prices. The work of civil-society advocacy groups was essential to overcoming these barriers.1 The delayed roll-out of programmes for mother-tochild transmission prevention and for highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) conservatively resulted in 330 000 excess deaths.2,3 Nevertheless, AIDS activism helped reduce the price of antiretrovirals and change governmental policy, so that by mid-2008, 550 000 people were on HAART in South Africa, mostly in the public health system.
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Reference:
Geffen, N. (2009). Beyond HAART: scientists and activists need to work together. The Lancet, 374(9693), 860-861.