São Paulo, 11/19/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - As part of a Latin American parliamentary conference (Parlatino), representatives from ten countries have gathered in São Paulo to discuss public health, with special emphasis on patents, distribution of the AIDS cocktail and the effects of genetically modified (GM) drugs. Representatives from Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Argentina, Aruba and Peru are participating.

There is agreement on the need to reduce the price of AIDS drugs and stimulate local production of them. According to the director of the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Jorge Bermudez, "Breaking patents (also known as compulsory licensing) is an extreme measure to be used only when absolutely necessary. If prices can be reduced through negotiation, there is no need to use compulsory licensing." Bermudez added that an interesting format is so-called voluntary licensing where technology is transferred to local producers who pay royalties. The objective, he said, is to find a way for developing nations and the pharmaceutical industry to reach a balance between the health needs of poor nations and the cost of innovation in the industry.

Cristina Torres, of the World Health Organization, also said that the best way to achieve lower prices is through negotiation. (AB)