The NYT reports that President Bush wants to double the appropriation for treating AIDS in the developing world to $30 billion over the next 5 years. This is an impressive increase, if his successor follows through on it. Of course, its impact will be reduced substantially if the U.S. pushes the use of patent protected brand drugs as opposed to lower cost generics.
It also would be helpful if the article put the numbers in a context that its readers could understand. The $30 billion target is equal to 0.2 percent of projected spending over this period or $20 per person year.
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