The Hepatitis C virus affects an estimated 180 million men, women and children worldwide. Patients in low to moderate income nations benefit from treatment at the same rate as those in developed regions. Yet, the high cost of this treatment prevents many from recovering.
One of the largest biopharmaceutical companies, Gilead Sciences, developed an $84,000 cure in 2013 with one pill priced at a thousand dollars. The total cost for a three-month regimen far exceeds most patients’ price range.
Solvadi, the pill, offers a solution to the pressing danger of this disease in developing countries. Egypt (22%), Pakistan (4.2%) and China (3.2%) rank the highest in disease prevalence, bearing most of the burden today.
How, though, can patients in these nations afford an $84,000 bill?
Gilead answered this question with a promising discount in sixty developing countries. Negotiating with generic drugmakers in India, the company plans to offer the treatment at 2 percent of the cost in the United States.
Rohit Malpani, a policy director at Doctors Without Borders, hopes for a more reasonable price. The company could produce Solvadi at a far lower cost, he contends. Malpani and other advocates estimate Gilead could cut the cost to $68 to $136 for a twelve-week treatment regime.
The company must revaluate how much the drug costs compared to patients’ ability to pay, Malpani asserts.
“If we want to see Hepatitis C treatment scaled up globally, we are going to need much lower prices in all countries with a high burden of the disease,” he remarks in a recent Doctors Without Borders statement.
Gregg Alton of Gilead reports future partnerships with three to five different companies. Gilead, he notes, plans to allow flexibility of price from the Indian companies. Alton also contends the starting point of $2,000 is “substantially less” that current costs in India – for inferior drugs. He promoted Solvadi in The Hindu Business Line, highlighting the drug as “more effective, less toxic…and without side-effects.”
Ideally, Alton remarks, the company signs voluntary licensing deals “in the next couple months” and market availability in two years. Last November, the Initiative for Medicines, Access and Knowledge(I-MAK) filed a legal challenge against its patent application.
I-MAK claims Solvadi relies on “on science” with a “known compound.” Voluntary licensure protects Gilead from patent problems, adds Malpani. These licensing agreements prevent generic companies from overturning patents. Without these agreements, the Indian manufacturers could sell Solvadi at any cost and without paying royalties to the company.
The company also plans to limit the scale of these licensing agreements, allowing generic drugmakers to sell in 60 countries. In contrast, Gilead sells HIV drugs in more than 100.
The pricing and limited access to this drug threatens the health of more than 180 million patients. Brook Baker, an advisor to the Health Global Access Project, sees delinkage as the solution. With this system, governments fund pharmaceutical research and development as a public service.
Today, pharmaceutical companies absorb about 60 percent of the total cost. Treating these drugs as a public good offers the most in need. And though these companies need to profit, Hepatitis C patients around the world also need treatment.
– Ellery Spahr
Sources: NPR, WHO
Photo: Don’t Trade Our Lives Away
A Dangerous Place for Pregnant Women
Dozens of pregnant Iraqi women are being admitted to the hospital with life threatening conditions every month. According to UNICEF, maternal mortality rates in the war torn country have increased by 65% since 1989, a number that is much higher than neighboring countries. Until political conditions improve and citizens gain better access to healthcare and basic necessities in Iraq, doctors in the region fear the problem will get worse.
Dr. Mayada Youssif, a gynecologist in Baghdad, attributes “insecurity and poverty that Iraqis live with due to conflict” to the increasing mortality rate. “Insecurity has forced women to stay at home during their whole period of pregnancy,” Youssif says, “and they look for a doctor only when they are feeling really ill or feel, near delivery time, that conditions have become too dangerous.”
UNICEF recommends three basic needs that should be available for pregnant women and their babies: good nutrition, access to antenatal care and access to emergency care if a problem were to arise. All of these services are impeded in Iraq because of issues such as curfews and fear of violence, meaning that sometimes help isn’t sought out until it is too late.
That is exactly the situation Salah Hussein found himself in when his wife died during childbirth. The doctors attributed her death to a combination of malnutrition and the effects of constant stress from living in a war torn country. Now Hussein faces having to raise his child alone. Malnutrition is still a problem, as he cannot afford formula for his child.
Even if women can get to a doctor, many hospitals are ill equipped to deal with common pregnancy issues, such as anemia. The UN is currently looking into fortifying flour with iron and folic acid to help combat anemia, but presently the issue remains.
There is a rising call to increase investment in the health department to combat rising mortality rates. The main issue is the lack of specialized care that is available to all pregnant women. Some live in areas where they cannot get to a doctor, or worse, there is not a doctor in the area at all.
– Colleen Eckvahl
Sources: Global Research, IRIN News
Photo: Global Research
Poverty in Israel
Poverty in Israel? Yes. Israel has one of the world’s more advanced economies. It has a vibrant service industry and the recent discovery of immense natural gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, which have been estimated to hold billions of dollars of natural gas make Israel’s economic future look quite bright and prosperous.
Given all of this, one would not expect Israel to have the highest poverty rate among developed countries.
The Israeli National Central Bureau of Statistics published a study in which it noted that Israel’s poverty rate stands at 20.9 percent among countries who are members of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD.) This places Israel as the country with the highest rate of poverty of the member countries. Israel also placed fifth out of all member countries in terms of income inequality.
While many countries have been hit hard by the global financial crisis, according to the OECD’s report, one of the reasons for Israel abnormally high poverty rate is due to the fact that a large majority of those of the working age in Israel do not in fact work.
The numbers are surprising: about 40 percent of Israeli’s between the ages of 15 and 64 are not working. By comparison, 33 percent of those in other OECD countries are not working.
The number of those in poverty is also expected to rise as Israel plans to cut benefits for child allowances as well. According to the OECD report, 30,000 to 40,000 more children will be placed under the poverty line. This all come on the heels of criticisms of the Benjamin Netanyahu administration due to lavish spending on various items. One particular example given by the Huffington Post is Netanyahu’s spending $127,000 of public funds on a sleeping cabin while visiting London.
The Netanyahu administration has also shot up spending by 80 percent since taking office in 2009, according to the Huffington Post.
The natural gas reserves that have been discovered in the eastern Mediterranean are likely to give Israel a boost in both its overall economic rank and the number of jobs it creates.
According to Forbes, it will likely bring over $60 billion in the next 20 years.
Israel is one of the more wealthy countries in the world, and with its natural gas fields in the works, it stands to fundamentally change the shape of both Middle Eastern economics and politics the world over. However, as Israel moves forward with this significant improvement in its countries, it cannot forget its citizens who are falling under the poverty line.
– Arthur Fuller
Sources: Forbes, Haaretz, OECD, The Times of Israel, Forbes, CIA World Factbook, New York Times, Huffington Post
Photo: Two Rivers
World Cup Meets Poverty in Brazil
Brazil is set to play host to one of the biggest international sporting events in the world. The World Cup brings in billions of dollars of revenue and puts Brazil on the forefront of the global stage. Brazil is also playing host to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, which will again place both Brazil’s successes and struggles in the eyes of the world.
Brazil is one of the more developed countries in South America, but it also has a high rate of poverty. According to the CIA World Factbook, as of 2013, Brazil’s poverty rate stood at 21.4 percent, which is one of the highest in South America. According to ESPN, the Brazilian government is reported to be spending over $13 billion on the various stadiums, airport renovations and other sites, while an additional $3.5 billion being spent on venue sites. According to the International Business Times, Brazil’s Institute of Tourism project that international visitors to the World Cup will spend $2.6 billion, while Brazilian residents will spend almost $8 billion, these estimates still fall short of what Brazil’s government is spending.
There have also been reports of forced evictions of hundreds of family’s homes in order to make way for stadiums for the World Cup and the Olympics in 2016. The Huffington Post reported the story of a family who were given no notice or warnings of any kind before several men turned up at their door and proceeded to reduce their home to rubble and ash. The Global Post reports that upwards of 15,000 families have been removed from Rio de Janeiro as well.
However, according to many reports, the potential overall economic impact of the World Cup in Brazil will be about $24 billion, according to Bloomberg, while Forbes reports that Brazil’s Ministry of Sports calculates that Brazil’s economy will receive a $70 billion injection from the games. The International Business Times points out, however, that there can sometimes be a “World Cup effect” on countries where there is a promise of a large injection of capital to boost the country’s economy as a result of the games being hosted there, but in the end, it falls short.
South Africa is a prime example of this “World Cup effect.” South Africa invested nearly $5 billion in various renovations and restorations of buildings and has only made 11 percent of it back as of 2010. Brazil can only wait and see if it will incur a similar fate.
The World Cup and other international sporting events are superb testament to international cooperation and the ability of countries to set aside common goals to celebrate the universal languages of sports. However, a worrying trend in recent years of developing countries pushing aside and marginalizing those who are already marginalized by poverty and inequality is emerging. The responsibility to ensure that these peoples are not forgotten or pushed to the way side for the sake a country’s bottom line and international news coverage rests with those who attend these events as well concerned and socially active citizens around the world.
– Arthur Fuller
Sources: International Business Times, Bloomberg, Forbes, Index Mundi, ESPN, CIA World Factbook, Global Post, Huffington Post
Photo: Open Knowledge
Puerto Rico Gets Credit Rating Downgrade
Two of the three biggest credit-rating agencies in the world have downgraded the credit rating of Puerto Rico. Standard and Poor’s has downgraded the Caribbean state to “BB” status, two steps below its previous rating of “BBB-”. The new status indicates the uncertainties of global markets in the credit quality of the recession-hit country should it be unable to repay its $70 billion worth of municipal debt.
Moody’s downgraded the credit quality of Puerto Rico to Ba2 from Baa3. The new rating means “obligations are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.”
Both agencies have cited the uncertain economic and investment environment as reasons for the downgrade. Puerto Rico has an unemployment rate of 14.7% and a debt-to-GDP ratio of 70% and growing, and concern abounds about its liquidity constraints. Moreover, much of the island is impoverished. According to the latest census data, 45.6% of the island was living in poverty in 2011.
Many investors in the US hold Puerto Rican debt because the debt is high-yield and triple-exempt, meaning it is tax-exempt at the local, state, and federal level. As such, they are widely held in mutual funds, with many people unaware. A large number of funds have already begun selling off Puerto Rican debt to cut their losses, such as the Franklin Double-Tax Free Income Fund, which has sold off almost $64 million worth of bonds.
The cut in Puerto Rico’s credit rating comes amidst actions taken on behalf of the government to rein in spending and reform a large pension system. As borrowing costs rise, it remains a question as to whether Puerto Rico will be able to obtain more credit after scheduling a $2 billion bond offering this month.
A spokesman for the US Treasury has stated that there is no “federal financial assistance being contemplated” for Puerto Rico.
– Jeff Meyer
Sources: Moodys, Standard and Poors, The Economist, CNBC, CNBC, Census.gov
Photo: Bloomberg
Economic Impact of Poor Maternal and Child Nutrition
Nutrition during pregnancy and the first 24 months of life is essential for survival and long-term health. Nearly one-third of all child deaths are caused by malnutrition. However, nutrition is often a neglected aspect of maternal and child health.
It is very important that women eat sufficient calories and nutrients during pregnancy and breast feeding; it is also recommended that women take vitamin C, vitamin D and folic acid.
Malnourished mothers often have malnourished babies. Consequences of poor maternal nutrition include stillbirths and low weight babies. Each year, 30 million low-weight babies are born; this figure accounts for almost one-fourth of all births. An infant is considered to have a low birth weight if it weigh less than 5.5 pounds.
Low birth weight is a determinant of health in infancy, childhood and adulthood. Low birth weight is also strongly related to mortality, morbidity and disability. Poor nutrition during pregnancy has a lasting affect on the health and development throughout life.
There is said to be a critical thousand days from when a mother becomes pregnant until a child reaches the age of 2. If a child does not receive proper nutrition during this period there are long-term consequences. When children do not receive adequate nutrition, their brains do not develop properly, they learn slowly and their physical growth is stunted.
In high-income countries and increasingly in middle-income and low-income countries, obesity and diabetes in pregnant mothers is a concern. Having children be overweight or obese is also becoming a serious health concern. New research shows that a mother’s diet, weight and health status during pregnancy has an impact on whether her child will develop diabetes or obesity in adulthood.
In 2012, the World Health Organization proposed global targets for maternal, infant, and young child nutrition:
Poor maternal and child nutrition also has a significant impact on economic outcomes. The World Bank reports that poor maternal and child nutrition impacts a countries economic output by 2 percent to 3 percent. Poor nutrition in early life also puts an increased risk on the healthcare system as children with poor nutrition have an increased risk of obesity and chronic health conditions in adulthood.
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is supporting a program to improve maternal and child nutrition, funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The program uses private-public sector partnerships to improve the health and nutrition of 10 million children aged six months to 2 years old. The program combines both market and public health solutions to early life nutrition. The provided incentives and support to the private sector in the development and distribution of food products are for at-risk children and the marketing of breastfeeding.
– Elizabeth Brown
Sources: World Health Organization, World Health Organization Programmes, World Health Organization Global Targets, UN
Photo: Borgen
Does Poverty Cause Extremism?
Political and religious extremism is the backbone of the violent terrorist action throughout the world. A devout follower of a religious sect finds justification in their violent actions based on the misunderstood teachings of their religion, be it Christianity or Islam.
American Christian fundamentalists detonate explosions in abortion clinics, claiming they are saving the lives of unborn children. Islamic extremists use suicide bombers to attack soldiers, believing they are doing their duty for Allah.
A conceptual argument based on a person’s own beliefs to fight against something they find unjust. But what necessarily creates a mind-state where a human being develops extremist beliefs? Upbringing? Social norms? Poverty? An argument can made for a variety of reasons.
Poverty is rampant throughout the known world, with billions of people living in unsafe and sickening conditions. The lack of adequate healthcare and schooling create a cycle where people are unable to remain healthy or lift themselves out of such horrid conditions.
Does Poverty Cause Extremism?
To truly identify if poverty causes extremism, one must look at the bare minimum facts of religiosity. A 2012 Gallup poll called the 2012 WIN-Gallup International Religiosity and Atheism Index found that out of all countries on earth, the most religious 10 nations had 85 percent of their citizens respond as “a religious person.” These 10 nations were also increasingly impoverished with the average “per capita income” around $14,100.
While correlation does not necessarily equate with causation in explaining extremism, it gives credence to the ideal that religious attitudes develop greater in harsh conditions. The same Gallup poll also argued that religious virtues are declining in the first world, particularly in Europe and the United States.
In 2012, the Fata Research Centre (CRC) published a report called “Extremism and Radicalization: An Overview of the Social, Political, Cultural and Economic Landscape of (Federally Administered Tribal Areas)” detailing the factors behind poverty that result in radicalization of youths.
The report showed a stunning correlation between poverty, lack of educational opportunities, lack of employment and growing up in a violent society that leads to youths to become religiously extremist. 89 percent of those surveyed emphasized the essential “importance of youth role in bringing prosperity to the region.”
Poverty is a main factor, leading to greater social problems that drive many into extremism. But other reports have argued against this idea. Statistics have shown that most terrorists come from wealthier backgrounds. Palestinian suicide bombers were typically middle-class and received higher education. A recent report out of Pakistan has argued poverty and extremism do not affect one another.
Pakistan instituted a billion dollar policy which has pushed to aid less fortunate Pakistani residents in keeping them from aligning with terrorist groups. The Social Science Research Network argued that spending money would not truly affect the issue.
Georgetown University’s Christine Fair, an expert on South Asia, argued in a report that there is “no evidence” that impoverished Pakistanis were at risk at becoming radicalized and joining extremist groups. The study also showed that more “affluent, educated” Pakistanis were more like to be radicalized. 6,000 people suggested that poorer Pakistanis were actually less likely to support extremist groups than more affluent, better educated people. The answers are not always so clear when trying to find why a person decides to violently fight for their beliefs.
– Joseph Abay
Sources: Telegraph, Tribune, The News
Bolivia: Advocacy Against Child Labor
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has recently emphasized that the Bolivian government should reject proposals to lower its minimum age of employment below 14 years old. President Evo Morales has expressed support for proposals to abolish a minimum age for “independent work” and to lower the minimum age to 12 years old for all other jobs.
Jo Becker, children’s rights advocacy director at Human Rights Watch (HRW,) stated that, “Child labor perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Lowering minimum age of employment is counterproductive and out of step with the rest of the world.”
Reductions in child labor are attributed to increasing access to education, strengthening national legislation and monitoring and bolstering social protection plans such as Bolivia’s Juancito Pinto cash transfer program.
The International Labor Convention stipulates a minimum employment age of 15 years old. Bolivia, along with 166 other countries, is a part of this. The only stipulation is countries whose economy and educational facilities are insufficiently developed may under certain conditions have a minimum age of 14 years old. Bolivia has a reported 850,000 child laborers.
“Poor families often send their children to work out of desperation, but these children miss out on schooling and are more likely to end up in a lifetime of low-wage work,” Becker said. “The Bolivian government should invest in policies and programs to end child labor, not support it.”
Human rights across Latin America are struggling with a seemingly intractable dilemma, according to The Guardian. Countries such as Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador and Brazil hope to benefit from the commodity boom in global markets that are fueled by demand in China and other areas of the world.
Social movements across Latin America are helping to remold politics and political discourse. These countries democratization depend on the support of increasingly active social movements in both rural and urban areas.
Along with the protesting and movements transpiring in Latin America, HRW joined the Global March against Child Labor and Anti-Slavery International on January 24. The group sent a letter to Morales completely opposing any sort of movement to lower the minimum age of employment. HRW explained that it would be extremely counterproductive to the Bolivian economy.
– Lindsey Lerner
Sources: Human Rights Watch, The Guardian
Photo: Bicultural Mom
Define Congress… Defining Can be Difficult
Politics can be very confusing to follow, especially if one is unaware of the basics, but a quick description of the functions and structure of Congress can help advocates of poverty reduction get a brief overview of the complex size and scope of the United States Congress.
Let’s define Congress. The U.S. Congress makes up the legislative branch of the U.S. government, meaning it has the power to write and make laws. Additionally, it has the ability to approve all government spending, collect taxes, declare war, regulate commerce and provide for the general welfare. Under the American democratic system of checks and balances, it shares governing authority with the executive and judicial branches of the government.
Structure
Congress is made up of two parts, or chambers. The lower chamber, the House of Representatives, has 435 members. The amount of members per state varies by the state’s population, but currently each representative typically represents approximately 700,000 constituents. Each state must have at least one representative who serves two-year terms.
The upper chamber, the Senate, has 100 total members. Each state has two senators, regardless of its population. Senators face re-election every six years; however, elections are rotated so that no more than one senator per state is up for re-election in a single election cycle.
Making Laws
A “Congress” lasts two years and begins on January 3 of odd-numbered years. Each year is considered a “session” of Congress. As of 2014, the 113th Congress is serving its second session. At the end of this year, elections will be held to decide the 114th Congress, which will meet from 2015 to 2017. Unapproved bills remain alive between sessions of Congress but do not carry over into the next two-year congressional term.
After a bill’s introduction in either house, it goes for review to the legislative committee that covers the subject of the bill. The committee may refer the bill to a subcommittee, which may hold hearings on the bill and amend it before recommending it for approval in a new form to the greater committee. Once the bill clears the committee process, it goes to the House or Senate floor for debate.
The House and Senate must each approve the bill in identical form before the President has an opportunity to sign it into law. Therefore, should differences exist between the House and Senate versions, the two chambers of Congress will form a conference committee to hash out any discrepancies. The president then has ten days to sign or veto the bill.
Shared Authority
The Senate and the House of Representatives share identical legislative authority with a couple of exceptions. First, the House of Representatives originates all revenue-raising bills, initiates impeachment proceedings against federal officials and has the final authority to choose the president if no candidate wins in the electoral college.
The Senate has the authority to confirm federal and judicial branch appointments and also the authority to ratify treaties. The senate also conducts impeachment trials after the House of Representatives has initiated them.
– Martin Levy
Sources: About, Congress Link, Census Data
Photo: OSG’s AP Gov. and Politics
10 Dalai Lama Quotes
The 14th Dalai Lama is a man with great wisdom and high morality. He is looked at in times of great need, times of compassion and times of guidance. He has given hundreds of words of advice, through speeches, books and interviews that people are able to reference for inspiration. Below are ten wise quotes from the Dali Lama that will bring clarity to the world around us.
10 Inspirational Quotes by the Dalai Lama
Hopefully, these ten inspiring quotes will bring peace and guidance to the world around. The eradication of global poverty, world, suffering, and senseless destruction of humanity is the core vision of the 14th Dali Lama.
– Amy Robinson
Sources: DalaiLama.com (1), DalaiLama.com (2), DalaiLama.com (3), DalaiLama.com (4), DalaiLama.com (5), Dalai Lama Quotes (1), Dalai Lama Quotes (2), Dalai Lama Quotes (3)
Photo: Oregon Herald
The High Cost of Treating Hepatitis C
The Hepatitis C virus affects an estimated 180 million men, women and children worldwide. Patients in low to moderate income nations benefit from treatment at the same rate as those in developed regions. Yet, the high cost of this treatment prevents many from recovering.
One of the largest biopharmaceutical companies, Gilead Sciences, developed an $84,000 cure in 2013 with one pill priced at a thousand dollars. The total cost for a three-month regimen far exceeds most patients’ price range.
Solvadi, the pill, offers a solution to the pressing danger of this disease in developing countries. Egypt (22%), Pakistan (4.2%) and China (3.2%) rank the highest in disease prevalence, bearing most of the burden today.
How, though, can patients in these nations afford an $84,000 bill?
Gilead answered this question with a promising discount in sixty developing countries. Negotiating with generic drugmakers in India, the company plans to offer the treatment at 2 percent of the cost in the United States.
Rohit Malpani, a policy director at Doctors Without Borders, hopes for a more reasonable price. The company could produce Solvadi at a far lower cost, he contends. Malpani and other advocates estimate Gilead could cut the cost to $68 to $136 for a twelve-week treatment regime.
The company must revaluate how much the drug costs compared to patients’ ability to pay, Malpani asserts.
“If we want to see Hepatitis C treatment scaled up globally, we are going to need much lower prices in all countries with a high burden of the disease,” he remarks in a recent Doctors Without Borders statement.
Gregg Alton of Gilead reports future partnerships with three to five different companies. Gilead, he notes, plans to allow flexibility of price from the Indian companies. Alton also contends the starting point of $2,000 is “substantially less” that current costs in India – for inferior drugs. He promoted Solvadi in The Hindu Business Line, highlighting the drug as “more effective, less toxic…and without side-effects.”
Ideally, Alton remarks, the company signs voluntary licensing deals “in the next couple months” and market availability in two years. Last November, the Initiative for Medicines, Access and Knowledge(I-MAK) filed a legal challenge against its patent application.
I-MAK claims Solvadi relies on “on science” with a “known compound.” Voluntary licensure protects Gilead from patent problems, adds Malpani. These licensing agreements prevent generic companies from overturning patents. Without these agreements, the Indian manufacturers could sell Solvadi at any cost and without paying royalties to the company.
The company also plans to limit the scale of these licensing agreements, allowing generic drugmakers to sell in 60 countries. In contrast, Gilead sells HIV drugs in more than 100.
The pricing and limited access to this drug threatens the health of more than 180 million patients. Brook Baker, an advisor to the Health Global Access Project, sees delinkage as the solution. With this system, governments fund pharmaceutical research and development as a public service.
Today, pharmaceutical companies absorb about 60 percent of the total cost. Treating these drugs as a public good offers the most in need. And though these companies need to profit, Hepatitis C patients around the world also need treatment.
– Ellery Spahr
Sources: NPR, WHO
Photo: Don’t Trade Our Lives Away