A conference on the use of Fixed-Dose Combination ARVs was held in Gaborone, Botswana. The purpose was to discuss the "Safety, Quality and Effectiveness" of FDCs. It was be sponsored by UNAIDS, WHO, the Southern African Development Community, and the US Department of Health and Human Services. Conference documents are posted below:

• Conference Documents

  • April 8, 2004. Southern African Development Community (SADC), the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the World Health Organization (WHO). JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED REGARDING PRINCIPLES FOR FIXED-DOSE COMBINATION DRUG PRODUCTS.
  • Draft paper to be discussed and finalized during the conference. Scientific and Technical Principles for Fixed Dose Combination Drug Products. (PDF format)
  • Synopsis of meeting. (MS Word)
  • Agenda. (MS Word)
  • Registration. (MS Word)

• Letters from Members of Congress

  • March 26, 2004. Sens. Kennedy, McCain, Feingold, Durbin, Snowe, and Chaffee. Letter to President Bush.
  • March 26, 2004. Rep. Henry Waxman. Letter to President Bush.
  • March 24, 2004. Reps. Sherrod Brown and Barbara Lee. Letter to Randall Tobias, Global AIDS Coordinator, Dept. of State.

• Statements Delivered at the Conference

  • MSF statement delivered by Ellen t'Hoen.
  • Catholic Relief Services statement delivered by Jacqueline Patterson.

• Cipla Documents

  • April 2, 2004. Bill Haddad representing Cipla. Botswana Report.
  • March 16, 2004. Bill Haddad. representing Cipla. Delivery of the Generic Triple ARV to Poor Nations Is Seriously Threatened by Combined Actions of the US Government, PhRMA, WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, HHS.

• NGO Documents

  • April 6, 2004. Africa Action. White House Attempts to Block Generic AIDS Drugs in Africa Stalled; Botswana Meeting & Clinton Foundation Announcement Increase Pressure on Bush Administration.
  • March 29, 2004. Letter from 381 AIDS Groups to U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Randall Tobias on Bush Administration Efforts Against Fixed-Dose Combination Generic ARVs.
  • March 29, 2004. Africa Action. Africa Action Decries US Efforts to Block Low-Cost Generic AIDS Drugs at Botswana meeting.
  • March 29, 2004. Catholic Agency for Overseas Development. CAFOD condemns US attempt to block cheap HIV/AIDS treatment.
  • March 29, 2004. Health GAP. PhRMA's Washington HQ Locked Down in Protest of Bush Assault on Generic AIDS Medicines, Activists Arrested.
  • March 26, 2004. Oxfam. The US challenge to the WHO drug pre qualification scheme, risk depriving poor patients from basic treatment.
  • March 25, 2004. Human Rights Watch. U.S.: Access to Generic HIV/AIDS Drugs at Risk.
  • March 25, 2004. European AIDS Treatment Group. EATG Questions U.S. Motive in Botswana’s Conference on Antiretrovirals.
  • March 22, 2004. Ellen ´t Hoen, Eric Goemere and Kris Torgeson for Medecins Sans Frontiers. Open letter to Randall Tobias and Tommy Thompson on the meeting.

• News Stories on FDC Conference
  • April 3, 2004. Owen Dyer for the British Medical Journal. Bush accused of blocking access to cheap AIDS drugs.
  • April 2, 2004. The Advocate. Health officials fail to agree on guidelines for generic antiretrovirals.
  • March 31, 2004. Bridges Weekly Trade Digest. Botswana Conference Spars Debate on Generics.
  • March 31, 2004. Sharon LaFraniere for the New York Times. Role of generic AIDS drugs debated.
  • March 31, 2004. Paul Udoto for the Nation. Access to Aids Drugs in Doubt.
  • March 30, 2004. Associated Press. Experts Debate Generic Anti-AIDS Drugs.
  • March 30, 2004. UN Integrated Regional Information Networks. Africa: Generics Challenge Brand-Name Anti-Aids Drugs.
  • March 30, 2004. News 24. Cheap Aids drugs on the cards.
  • March 26, 2004. Associated Press. Lawmakers Urge Acceptance of WHO Approvals for Overseas AIDS Drugs.