Ultimate Killer Virus and Magic Beans
December 16th, 2009This post was written by Jane. You can read more posts by: Jane or more posts in Campaign News
Here is a great fairy tale patent pool story which Ellie Messham ,a first year medic at Swansea and President to the Stop Aids society, got published in her university newsletter for World AIDS Day.
Here follows the story of the Ultimate Killer Virus and Magic Beans
No one is really sure where the Ultimate Killer Virus [1] came from, but it is widely agreed that it’s no fun and not popular (a bit like belly button fluff and drivers who never move from the middle lane on motorways).
The Ultimate Killer Virus is so good at being bad that it persuades the wonder that is the body’s natural
army to mutiny and start destroying itself. It’s quite a thrill seeker too, spreading itself through recreational drugs, sex and even childbirth (some might disagree with this being a thrill, I guess it depends how much gas and air is involved).
The Ultimate Killer Virus is set on world domination, as all credible baddies are. It’s doing pretty well at getting around in Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia, and even Russia [2].
The Pharma Trolls [3] are very friendly with the Ultimate Killer Virus, some might say too friendly. The Trolls sell Magic Beans [4] to nations with fat bank accounts (or big budget deficits like the UK and US) the Beans reduce the havoc the Ultimate Killer Virus can cause and slows down its destruction of the human body. The Magic Beans act a bit like putting a demolition ball into very slow motion.
Greed is what motivates the Pharma Trolls, they can never have enough money. They will let people die
while keeping the recipes for life-saving Magic Beans a secret, just so that they can charge lots for the Beans and keep making lots of moolah [5].
Together the Ultimate Killer Virus and the Pharma Trolls are a pretty strong force, unafraid to take on
whole nations [6]. However stories with Magic Beans can have happy endings and this one could too.
If the Pharma Trolls can agree to share their recipes and take a fair price [7] then more people can get the Magic Beans and live longer. Cheaper copies of the Magic Beans could be made, ending the Pharma Troll’s monopoly (not to be confused with the board game).
By combining the flavours of different Beans (a bit like jelly bellies) even children could be saved from the wrath of the Ultimate Killer Virus [8].
The Stop AIDS campaign is doing its best to persuade the Pharma Trolls to join in this sharing system [7]. Addyour voice to the thousands if not millions of others who think the Pharma Trolls ought to be working for people above profits, sign an action card.
To find out more go to www.stopaidscampaign.org.uk/ or www.unitaid.eu
Glossary:
1. The Ultimate Killer Virus is also known as HIV/ AIDS.
2. Currently 33 million people around the world have HIV/AIDS, in Botswana more than 1 in 4 people are
living with HIV/AIDS.
3. Pharma Trolls are sometimes called Pharmaceutical Companies e.g. GlaxoSmithKline.
4. Magic Bean are the ARVs; they slow down the progression of HIV/AIDS allowing people to live longer
and be less likely to spread the disease.
5. All businesses want to make money but Pharmaceuticals have a much higher profit margin than other
companies (www.newint.org/issue362/facts.htm).
6. Thailand is allowed to buy generic ARVs but has been pressured to buy high price drugs, thankfully
they stood up to the Pharmaceuticals and the US government
http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/en/In-country-campaigns/Asia/Abbott-should-reconsider-its-unacceptable-decision-to-not-sell-new-medicines-in-Thailand
7. The sharing system is called a patent pool.
www.unitaid.eu/en/The-Medicines-Patent-Pool-Initiative.html
8. Children do not have effective ARV drugs because the Pharmaceuticals haven’t formulated any for them.
9. At the end of 2008 43% of people from developing or transitional nations who needed ARV drugs were
receiving them (WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF (2009), ‘Towards Universal Access: Scaling up priority HIV/AIDS Interventions in the Health Sector’)
Here is a great fairy tale patent pool story which Ellie Messham ,a first year medic at Swansea and President to the Stop Aids society, got published in her university newsletter for World AIDS Day.
