Students protested Abbott Laboratories withdrawal of Zemplar, the HIV drug developed by UW-Madison researchers from markets in Thailand at a rally on Library Mall Friday.
The protest was created by the Universities Allied for Essential Medicines group on campus and other campus medical groups like the UW Global Health Interest Group.
Zemplar was created by UW-Madison Steenbock research professor Dr. Hector DeLuca. Zemplar, one of six drugs withdrawn by Abbott Labs, alleviates certain symptoms in people with HIV induced chronic kidney disease.
""[Abbott Labs] is simply maximizing and protecting its profits at the cost of thousands of lives,"" said Hannah Kirking, member of UW Global Health Interest Group.
She said the withdrawal was ""a political weapon to punish the government.""
Thailand's government recently issued compulsory licenses allowing the introduction of generic brands of medicines like Zemplar. The goal of the protest was to gain signatures for a petition demanding the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation put pressure on Abbott labs to make the drug publicly available.
""If enough people sign this petition, then we can influence WARF to force Abbott Labs to revoke their decision,"" Kirking said.
Kirking cited the financial aspect of the issue, saying that currently medication runs as high as $2,200 per patient per year in Thailand. The introduction of generic medicines would allow poor people to have access, according to Kirking.
UW-Madison freshman activist Chelsea Mezera was also upset with the company's decision.
""Abbott basically doesn't care if all these people get AIDS as long as they're still making money,"" she said.
The issue closely resembles Yale College's legal battle with Bristol Meyers over the dispersal of similar medicines to South Africa in 2001, according to a UAEM release. Bristol Meyers conceded to demands that same summer.
""If we have the power to save lives we should,"" Mezera said. ""AIDS will always be a problem as long as it is put secondary to making money, this needs to change.""
