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Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2000 00:15:16 EDT
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Subject: [AfricaMatters] Activist threatens to hand out AIDS drug

Sunday Times
South Africa
10/22/2000

Activist threatens to hand out AIDS drug

JEREMY LAWRENCE

THE outspoken activist Zackie Achmat, who has enraged health authorities by
illegally importing cheap AIDS drugs into the country, yesterday announced
plans to import and distribute the medicine to doctors in four provinces
within a week.

Achmat, who heads the Treatment Action Campaign, illegally imported 3 000
capsules of Biozole, a generic version of Diflucan (fluconazole) from
Thailand. Diflucan sells for about R124 a capsule in SA pharmacies, but
Achmat paid only R1.79 for the generic. He said Biozole capsules were sold to
the state for R30 each.


If the Medicines Control Council did not register the generic medicine within
the next two weeks, Achmat said, he would import 2 000 more capsules and
start supplying doctors in at least four provinces.


"This is the responsibility of the government. Our intention is not to become
a medicine distributor. We only want to illustrate the point that it would be
easy to bring the tablets into the country," said Achmat, who has AIDS but
has refused anti-retroviral therapy until it is freely available from the
public health service.


The Medicines Control Council laid an official complaint against Achmat with
the police this week. Achmat and about 50 supporters, including the PAC's
Patricia de Lille, reported to the police on Friday, and later handed over
the 3 000 tablets to a representative of the Health Department.


Police spokesman Captain Etienne Terblanche said Achmat had cooperated with
investigators.


"We will investigate the matter fully and the police docket will be handed
over to the director of public prosecutions, who will recommend whether to
prosecute," he said.







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