Online registration for this event is now closed. Walk-in registrations will be accepted.

Even though more and more people worldwide are gaining access to AIDS treatment, there has been an apparent decline in the number of companies investing in HIV/AIDS. Why? Could it be that recent policy decisions by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Brazilian government are undermining further investment in research and development for HIV/AIDS drugs?

The WTO decided to amend the agreement on trade and intellectual property rights so as to ensure that poor countries facing medical emergencies are not denied access to patented medicines.  At the same time, the Brazilian government continues to threaten intellectual property rights as part of a negotiating tactic to lower the price at which it buys patented AIDS drugs.  While these two actions have been widely praised for helping poor patients with HIV/AIDS, these policies could compromise the future of HIV/AIDS research.

Panelists at this AEI event will discuss these policy decisions and their likely impact. AEI resident fellow Roger Bate will moderate the discussion.