Bill Clinton's Next Fight: Malaria

NEW YORK — Former President Clinton's foundation has signed pricing agreements with several suppliers involved in making a malaria-fighting drug in an effort to stabilize the medication's fluctuating costs and ensure more dependable availability.

The former president in 2002 established an HIV/AIDS initiative that sought to negotiate lower prices for antiretroviral treatments, and he since has expanded his focus to include malaria treatments such as artemisinin-based combination therapies, or ACTs.

Artemisinin is an extract of the plant known as wormwood or sagewort. One of the factors making the price of artemisinin so volatile _ fluctuating from $155 to $1,100 per kilogram in recent years _ has been a wildly erratic cycle of shortage and excess of the extract, Clinton said Thursday at a news conference.

"Today the supply as well as the demand have led to these dramatic fluctuations in prices," Clinton said, holding up a green clipping of the plant. "Our goal, among other things, is to make sure that this little plant is available in sufficient supply, and that over time we can rationalize the prices."

The drug makers and the United Nations Special Envoy on Malaria joined Clinton for the announcement at his foundation's Manhattan headquarters.

Clinton said he has negotiated with six suppliers involved in producing ACTs that have agreed to certain price ceilings that the foundation says will help keep prices constant and not so dependent on the fluctuating cycles.

The agreements are with two suppliers at three levels of the supply chain _ raw material, processing and final formulation _ and the foundation hopes to add more suppliers.

"There's no question that we're talking about hundreds of thousands of lives being saved by making these drugs affordable," said malaria expert Dr. Christopher Plowe, a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who is not affiliated with the groups involved in the agreement.

About 500 million people are sickened each year by malaria, and more than 1 million die from the infectious disease, which is spread by mosquito bites. Symptoms include fever, chills, nausea and shortness of breath.

Besides benefiting from a more stable market, the suppliers that join the Clinton effort also get business and marketing assistance from the foundation.

___

On the Net:

http://www.clintonfoundation.org

Comments

[Siren]

Ahhh, Bill returns to a great cause. If he sticks with this kind of effort I could learn to like him again.

[AlwaysFairDem]

Me too!

[research]

good work Bill.

don't forget the anti mosquito bed betting!

[research]

bed netting.

[cgpunker]

This is the Bill Clinton I've been missing. Hooray! His foundation does tremendous work.

For those of you saying "what about oil...what abut this or that" - malaria is a huge problem, with many many deaths that could be somewhat easily prevented. His work here could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year.

Where are the rest of the ex presidents? Why are Clinton and Carter doing all the work?

[suzyhein]

Didn't Bono announce this fight like 7 years ago?

[Sabreen60]

I don't have a problem with his foundation doing good work. I applaud his efforts. I don't know what's in his heart so I can't judge his motives. What I do know is that he has not supported his party's nominee. At least not in public. I have not heard from either his wife or him defending Sen. O from the bashing he's been taking from the right, the left or the MSM. That's the problem I have with the C.lintons and it has nothing to do with his foundation.

[ghostwriter5]

Why should they?. Obama claimed Clinton who spends his time raising money forAfrica is a racist. Let obama apoligize first.

[nclayla]

Obama has never claimed that Clinton was a racist! Either you realize this and are only intent on spreading lies and division or you are sadly misinformed.

[Bill3rdterm]

Where has Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Edwards and many other Dems' been??? Do you hate them to because they aren't in the spotlight defending Obama against everything the right throws out? I know you want everyone to bow down to the great messiah, but it doesn't work that way. HRC has spoken out against the right numerous times. Half the time they put a Clinton post on this site, the Obamabots scream for them to go away, so why would you want them in the spotlight? Obama crapped all over bills presidency numerous times in his campaign, even went as far to praise Reagon while crapping on the Clinton White House, his lackies painted him as a racist and likened him to GWB. But now you expect him to go out and stump every day for Obama? Gimme a break and wake up.

[PumaAnn]

Good grief, they booed her name at the "great" Unity Rally. LOL*

That says it all.

[marye13]

how many times does he have to say he's ready to do whatever he's asked to do? if he just went out and started speaking he'd be criticized for trying to steal the spotlight away from the candidate. he'll do what he's asked to do when he's asked.

[azcamp]

Glad to see Bill back on the world stage doing what he does best as a former President. He will make a huge difference in reducing the malaria deaths in developing nations.

Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Al Gore are improving our world. They can help President Obama restore America's place in international leadership.

[BlueZoo]

Malaria is the disease that keeps on giving. Once you have it, you have it for life. It goes into remission and returns again and again. Each return leaves the patient weaker and the immune system less able to fight other diseases. Malaria occurs in virtually every country and we in the USA are not immune. I wouldn't dare disparage anyone, much less Bill Clinton, who attempts to rein in this wicked disease. He and his foundation deserve many kudos on this one!

[Lagniappe]

Isn't malaria caused by mosquitos? Hey,you gotta have water to have mosquitos. How about regions who are dying of dought? Maybe ,Bill,they could use some drinking water,too?And then irrigate some crops? What's that you say ,but the they'd have to buy genteically modified seed from Monsanto,according to World Trade Organization mandates?Oh Oh..................

[foreffectivegovernment]

ReasonIsMyReligion: You are right to be insulted by the "Clinton Bashing" comments from Republicans and Obama supporters on this Blog.
Having watched President Bill Clinton's speech to the National Governor's Association, (NGA), on C-SPAN, I can't understand why he would be considered a "complication" to the Obama Presidency. It was so nice to hear words other than “Hope” and “Change” coming from someone who has been there and done that. Someone with a plan.
He laid out a plan to solve many of the major problems of the Country and Obama should be willing to use him to bring about the "Change" Obama has promised. If it is Obama's ego or lack of leadership ability that will not allow him to utilize good ideas from everyone, then he is the wrong choice for President at this time of crisis.
If Obama was nominated to be the "First African-American candidate of a major Political Party" and nothing more, then the African-Americans, young college educated first time voters, and the superdelegates have done a real disservice to the citizens of this Country.
With Obama as President, Hillary as Vice-President, and with ex-President Bill Clinton’s proven experience, there could be a bright future for everyone. I have been informed that many immature adults were also caught up in the "race-baiting" and "character-assassination" that was the David Axelrod plan to nominate the "first Black candidate of a major political party".
Why did thinking people let this happen?

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

Because they weren't "thinking". It was purely emotion driven. Obama is not ready to lead this country. When the lights go down, and he is laying in his bed at night, even he, with his mighty ego must be thinking...Oh God...what have I done.

[nclayla]

Thinking people did not le tthis happen. iDavid Axelrod never had a plan that included either 'race baiting' or 'character assassination'.

[politicojunkie]

I am glad the former Prez is doing what he enjoys most. His foundation does great work around the world.

[billkarwin]

That's great that people like Bill Clinton and Bill Gates put their leadership behind the fight against widespread diseases.

But I've read that more people in the developing world are killed by tainted water. There are low-tech, low-cost solutions to purifying water supplies.

Ensuring clean water for poor people across the world would be a better cause for western leaders to champion, because it would have much broader impact. But I guess it wouldn't create profits for drug companies, so no one is interested.

[leduck]

forget about Peak Oil
or global warming
bill clinton wants to focuse on the fight against malaria?
is he for real?

[Ontariocentric]

yeah, who cares about malaria?
who cares about kids in wheelchairs?
who cares about prostate cancer?
who cares about animal cruelty?
who cares about Haiti?

there are alot of things we should focus on. to lose sight of all those "less important" things would be foolish. Applauds Clinton.

[UnknownSoldier]

Bill has sold out to big business, Africa needs to remain viable because Western Europe gets all of its raw materials from Africa, a population decrease combined with negative birth rates in Western Europe spell disaster for the European motherland.

In other words, Dead geese don't lay golden eggs.

[HumeSkeptic]

http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/impact/index.htm

[jackt51]

If you lived in one of the developing countries that are impacted by Malaria as a very real problem, you might be less cavalier in your comment.

Should everyone just throw up their hands, drop what they are doing, and work on peak oil (which may be a myth) or global warming (which certainly isn't a myth)?

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

And if you had three out of four children dying of malaria, would YOU focus on peak oil?

[nclayla]

The fight against malaria is a worthy and important cause. One million people die from malaria each year. Three-quarters of all malaria victims are children. Malaria takes the life of 3,000 children each day in Africa.

There are plenty of valid reasons to criticize Bill Clinton - but this is definitely not one of them. Whatever his reasons for choosing this project, if his participation can save lives, it will be a blessing and he will have earned our thanks.

[chrisbee]

Bill Clinton is one of the best presidents this country has ever seen!! I may not have voted for his wife but I will always believe he is a good man.

[Oldtt]

When you read the article above, then read the majority of comments in this thread, you will understand just how depraved the blind supporters of Barack Obama have become in defense of their idol. There is an amazing dichotomy between Obama, who preaches hope, and his Huffpost followers who thrive on hatred of any Obama opponent real or imagined. Anonymity is a blessing for people who would never dare to confront the objects of their hatred with their moronic and contrived criticisms. Thanks to you, very little separates much Huffpost content from right-wing hate sites. How can anyone who styles themself as a progressive or liberal set out to smear Bill Clinton for mounting an effort to eradicate malaria? Is there any conceivable way to justify that?

[Dailyfare]

I applaud his malaria efforts, but the skeptic in me wonders what he's getting on the DL from the drug companies. Is there some deal that he will lobby on behalf of the drug companies, not officially but. . .putting in a good word here or there.

Also, just because he'd doing good work now doesn't mean that we shouldn't look at him in his entirety - serial philanderer (but if he's wife is OK with it, then. . .), supports discrepancies in drug sentencing, did nothing to intervene in the Rwandan genocide, and, the best one: embroiled the country in months of endless drama when all he had to do was CONFESS. More than $50M down the drain to prove that he was gettin' it on with an intern.

So, his efforts to alleviate malaria - great. But does that mean we overlook everything else - no.

[marye13]

thank you for saying what i've been trying to say - especially the part about real or imagined opponents. seems like bc can't do anything right for these people - he either isn't out there making speeches or if he did they would say he was trying to take all of the attention. he was a great president and many people benefited during his terms of office - and after leaving office he has continually tried to do things to help humanity.

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

And Thank You for your post. This site, years ago when I found it, was dedicate to fighting REAL trolls....hence my name. But since this election cycle it has been taken over by a bunch of foul mouthed college kids who think that since they are finally registered to vote, they can talk trash about some of the greatest members of OUR party. Sad... But the reality is, once this election is over and done with, they will be gone, and we can get back to the serious work of trying to promote OUR agenda. I truly don't believe that Obama will win in November, but if he does, so be it. I really don't care anymore. Either way, we have survived eight years of the absolute worse nightmare we could possibly imagine, and we'll survive four more years of whatever is thrown at us. We Dems are stronger than that...and truth be told, we are forever optimists.

[gloriar8]

Clinton's behavior during the primaries was like dating a cool guy. You finally get to go out with him, but then he gets wasted and throws up at the dinner table. And even though he gets cleaned up, when ever you see him now, it's just not the same anymore. He shoulda been doing this while she ran her camapign into the ditch.

[nuglet304]

all of you who are talking so much trash about this, what have y'all done that even pales in comparison? gimme a break. call me what you want, but y'all don't have a clue. it's really disgusting actually, and you all oughtta be ashamed.

[Actionmac]

doesn't change that the primaries showed us, his strongest supporters, that he is a BIG POS that only does public service that serves him or should I say services him.

[nuglet304]

yeah, go spew that argument to any of the hundreds of thousands who've benefited from his work on hiv/aids, among other things worldwide. somehow i don't think they're gonna be too interested in much that you've got to say about it.