Last year EngageHIV was happy to take part in Stop AIDS campaign’s “Push for the Pool” and celebrate when UNITAID agreed to create this life-saving HIV patent pool.

The pool should help to save the lives of millions living with HIV across the developing world who are unable to access the life-saving medicines they need. It should also allow companies to adapt existing HIV medicines to make them suitable for children. There is an urgent need for child-friendly HIV treatments to be produced for use in developing countries, which are home to the majority of HIV-positive children.

However, we now need a new push!  For this to work, we need the pharmaceutical companies to join the push for the pool by adding their HIV patents.

Recently, a new specialist HIV company was set up called ViiV Healthcare. Pharmaceutical company Glaxo-Smith Kline (GSK) owns 85 per cent of this company.

We’re calling EngageACTION supporters to add their voice to the UNICEF campaign to ask GSK to join the push for the pool.

David Bull, Executive Director of UNICEF UK, a member of the Stop AIDS Campaign, said, “Only 38% of HIV positive children under 15 in the developing world get the drugs they need. Without treatment half of all children born with HIV will die before their second birthday. We hope that GSK will join the UNITAID patent pool so that new child-friendly drugs can be developed for all HIV-positive children.”

You can help by signing their open letter to the CEO of GSK, Andrew Witty, to ensure that ViiV’s HIV patents are put in the pool. This takes seconds and could help save millions of lives in the developing world – especially the lives of children. Click the link below and add your name to this letter.

Thanks for making a difference to those living with HIV and AIDS.

Go to www.unicef.org.uk/campaigns/take_action/direct_action/index.asp?action=94