How we perceive others determines how they perceive us. I suggest that you watch the video below. It can also be found here It may not be available in the US, see further down
The defence used to prevent a drug that was cheap to produce being distributed widely opened up a whole can of worms.
To sell it cheaply would hurt future research and prevent new drugs being developed for those that could afford them.
That poor people were too ignorant to use them properly and hence destroy the drugs effectiveness.
Racism, entitlement and privilege were visibly apparent.
When you look how the US and the "West"defended patent law for the corporations you can understand how resentment built up alongside the death toll. The impression is also given that the US government is controlled by and for the corporations, an impression that is also held by many of us in the "West".
My own view is that yes patents are important, but when they involve mass death there must be another way to compensate for the research that went into the product to release the product to those that need it. To wilfully prevent this happening is a crime against humanity.
I suggest watching the video, it's Sunday, so there is time.
Just a thought
If you cannot see the video, then this might help to describe what it is about
What appealed to you about this particular story and the wider subject?
Initially it was really just shock and disgust that so many millions of lives could be so callously and I would say brutally set aside, with very little attention paid to the fact and no one called to account. Then it seemed absolutely incredible to me that there was no book or film on the subject, aside from some contemporary news pieces. Later, once I started delving more deeply into it, I was immensely moved and inspired by the people who played key roles in breaking the blockade of AIDS drugs into Africa, and it struck me that the example of their passion, bravery and determination could potentially ignite a spark in all kinds of people inclined to work for change, in whatever area, but who might doubt their power to actually make a difference. And finally, when it became clear to me that the story was being lost, swept under the rug and forgotten, that there was a very real threat no lessons would be taken from this unimaginable atrocity and that the drug industry and major Western governments were actively working to shut down future production of low-cost generic medicine in the global south, something which will almost certainly lead to horrific, unnecessary loss of life in rich countries as well as poor, it seemed to me that there was no option but to try and do something to get this story out there.
2:45 AM PT: Apparently the video may not be available yet in the US?
Some more info can be found here
http://fireintheblood.com/