Global access to treatment: achievements and challenges

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Policy
• Human Rights Law

Background:

• This review examines progress and challenges in global access to HIV/AIDS treatments.
• It replaces the previous 'Patents and Prices' section, focusing on broader access issues.
• The article is part of a series commemorating the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network's tenth anniversary.

Discussion:

• The debate on HIV/AIDS treatment access evolved from patent concerns to a right-to-health framework.
• National and international activism, strategic alliances, and leadership were crucial in this shift.
• Obstacles to equitable global access to HIV/AIDS treatments persist.

Key Insights:

• Recasting the treatment access debate to emphasize the right to health.
• The impact of activism and strategic partnerships in policy and legal reform.
• Identification of ongoing barriers to equitable treatment access worldwide.

Outlook:

• Continued efforts are needed to address remaining obstacles to equitable HIV/AIDS treatment access.
• Future directions in policy and law to ensure universal access to care.
• Sustaining momentum for the right to health in global HIV/AIDS strategies.