BRAZIL HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 001188

SIPDIS

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STATE FOR OES/IHA KBLISS
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO TPHY KSCA BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL HEALTH NEWS UPDATE

REF: (A) BRASILIA 000804; (B) BRASILIA 001045

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED


1. Summary: Brazil's Ministry of Health has made headlines
both domestically and internationally, primarily regarding
HIV/AIDS programs and drugs. The GOB has demanded
negotiations for voluntary licensing for key HIV/AIDS
"cocktail" drugs; refused approximately US DOL 24 million in
potential future USAID HIV/AIDS program funds for domestic
programs and promised countries in Africa and the Caribbean
support for their HIV/AIDS programs. CDC support enabled
the GOB to contain an outbreak of Chagas. (End of Summary).

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Brazil Negotiates Voluntary Licensing To Produce HIV/AIDS
Drugs
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2. As reported in reftel, on March 14, 2005, the GOB
announced that it had sent letters to several multinational
drug companies asking that they agree to the voluntary
licensing of anti-retroviral drugs to allow the drugs to be
produced in Brazil. The Ministry of Health said the request
was made because the cost of these drugs had reached
unbearable levels, reportedly spending US DOL 217 million in

2004. Brazil reportedly produces eight of the 16 drugs used
in the AIDS "cocktail" and the Ministry believes local
laboratories will be ready to produce others next year.

In Brazil, HIV/AIDS medications are distributed at no charge
to the 154, 000 patients treated by the public health
network. The Ministry of Health estimates it will care for
180,000 patients in 2005.

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Brazil Refuses USAID Funds To Fight HIV/AIDS
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3. On April 28, 2005, the GOB announced that its national
HIV/AIDS program decided not to accept USAID funds to
support their program because recipient NGOs would be
required to have written policies opposing the promotion of
prostitution, a USAID requirement that they believe goes
against their national polices on health and human rights.
Brazil's HIV/AIDS Program's Director, Pedro Chequer,
dismissed the possibility of cooperation contracts between
USAID and Brazilian non-governmental organizations, if it
would require them to sign anything stating their opposition
to prostitution.

Chequer told the media that there is no way Brazil would
give up its established policy of allowing access to
condoms, syringes, and needles. Nor would the government
allow Brazilian NGOs to be subject to foreign legislation,
he said. In Chequer's opinion, even though USAID financing
is directed at NGOs, the involvement of the Brazilian
government is fundamental. The approximately US DOL 24
million in question is the remainder of a grant, that began
in 2003 and was to run through 2008.

Although an infraction, prostitution is not a punishable
crime in Brazil. There are programs aimed at promoting
HIV/AIDS awareness among what Brazil refers to as
"professional sex workers." Brazil has the world's largest
program of free distribution of drugs against HIV/AIDs and
it is considered a model by many international institutions.
Recently, however, the Brazilian HIV/AIDs program has
undergone problems such as lack of condoms and drugs.

Press guidance has been provided by S/GAC

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Brazil Partners With Less Developed Countries On HIV/AIDS
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4. Media reports indicate that Brazil plans to share with
less developed countries its expertise in fighting HIV/AIDS.
Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorin announced on March
16, 2005, while on a visit to Mozambique, Brazil's intention
to help the country fight HIV/AIDS by building a
pharmaceutical plant there. On April 8, 2005, while visiting
Nigeria, President Lula said that Brazil was in negotiations
with the government of Nigeria to transfer technology for
the production of anti-retroviral medicines. On April 11,
Brazil announced an agreement with CARICOM to provide for
the transfer of technology to manufacture HIV/AIDS drugs, to
be operational later this year.
- - - - - - - - - -
CDC Supports GOB In Chagas Disease Outbreak
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5. Since February 2005, a total of 3 deaths and 25 persons
with illness due to Chagas's Disease have been confirmed in
Santa Catarina state, in southern Brazil. Supervisors and
epidemiologists in training from the U.S. Center for Disease
Control (CDC) - sponsored Field Epidemiology Training
Program in Brazil's Ministry of Heath are conducting a field
investigation in collaboration with local and state public
health experts. Nearly all the persons with Chagas's Disease
who have been identified and interviewed reported drinking
fresh sugar cane juice produced by one local vendor on the
same day, and a high rate of illness was documented in
employees in this location. U.S. CDC experts (Atlanta) have
provided technical assistance to the outbreak investigation
team. The Brasilia CDC office has provided supervisory and
technical support for the field work and study design. CDC
has offered laboratory and epidemiological collaboration, as
part of their Field Epidemiology Training Office located in
Brazil's Ministry of Health.

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Comments
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6. Health is just another area in which Brazil seeks a role
for itself as a "leader" of the developing world. Ever since
Brazil made its initial challenge in the WTO nearly five
years ago over patent issues and the production of HIV/AIDS
drugs, it has shown a willingness to challenge established
norms. In addition to the examples outlined in this cable,
Brazil has recently implemented ethics regulations governing
medical research involving human subjects. This may impact
on those developed nations that chose Brazilian institutions
as partners in medical research. Apparently, Brazil's health
policies, as they relate to international collaborations,
are going through a period of transition.

DANILOVICH