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| Brazil gets cut-price Aids drug | Brazil gets cut-price Aids drug |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Brazil has accepted an offer from a manufacturer of an important anti-Aids drug to cut its price by around 30%. | Brazil has accepted an offer from a manufacturer of an important anti-Aids drug to cut its price by around 30%. |
| The move will save the country around $10m (£4.95m) a year. | |
| The deal with Abbott over its drug Kaletra was hailed by Brazil's health minister as an example to other companies around the world. | The deal with Abbott over its drug Kaletra was hailed by Brazil's health minister as an example to other companies around the world. |
| In May, the Latin American country broke the patent on another Aids drug and now imports a cheaper generic version from India. | In May, the Latin American country broke the patent on another Aids drug and now imports a cheaper generic version from India. |
| The deal with Abbott Laboratories comes at a time when major pharmaceutical companies are increasingly sensitive about the willingness of countries in the developing world to break drugs patents. | The deal with Abbott Laboratories comes at a time when major pharmaceutical companies are increasingly sensitive about the willingness of countries in the developing world to break drugs patents. |
| Brazil did this for the first time earlier this year and is now importing cheaper generic versions of the drug Efavirenz from India and Thailand has bypassed a number of patents as well. | Brazil did this for the first time earlier this year and is now importing cheaper generic versions of the drug Efavirenz from India and Thailand has bypassed a number of patents as well. |
| However on this occasion, an agreement was reached, a development that was welcomed by Health Minister Jose Gomez Temporao. | However on this occasion, an agreement was reached, a development that was welcomed by Health Minister Jose Gomez Temporao. |
| He said it would be very promising if other companies were to follow the example of Abbott Laboratories. | He said it would be very promising if other companies were to follow the example of Abbott Laboratories. |
| Brazil has been widely praised for its approach to combating HIV and Aids, which includes providing free drugs to patients. | Brazil has been widely praised for its approach to combating HIV and Aids, which includes providing free drugs to patients. |
| The policy is thought to have cut Aids-related deaths by half, while in turn producing huge savings in hospital costs. | The policy is thought to have cut Aids-related deaths by half, while in turn producing huge savings in hospital costs. |
| Abbott says it is also offering to cut prices for 45 middle and lower-income developing nations. | Abbott says it is also offering to cut prices for 45 middle and lower-income developing nations. |