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.

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On the Net:

http://www.clintonfoundation.org

Comments

[likeicare]

Bill, you should team up with Angelina. That way you'd be guaranteed to have your mug in the news' cycles every single day.

That's what this is all about. Altruism has nothing to do with it. For either one of them.

[marquitin]

And what, exactly, have you done lately to help millions of poor or sick people? He is who he is... don't disparage the good he does because he isn't perfect.

[SKonnery]

I agree!!!

[kevinw]

Thats why he started this initiative in 2002, so he could have his picture in the paper in 2008. What are you a Rhodes scholar or something. This was a breakthrough deal for the issue he is addressing. It has not been in the MSM. Contrary to popular belief, having a small article that will get slimed by the Hufpo bloggers is not considered getting world attention.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

The above post makes it waaaay too complicated.

Bottom Line: MALARIA IS EASY TO PREVENT. It only costs $5 per mosquito net. That's it. Each net protects two kids.

My kids and I have participated in the World Swim Against Malaria. A wet and worthy cause.
100% of money raised goes to the kids. 0% for administration.
http://www.worldswimagainstmalaria.com/

"Every day, the number of kids that die from malaria would fill SEVEN jumbo jets."
http://www.worldswimagainstmalaria.com/Videos.aspx

[finn929]

I'm glad he's doing something good for the Earth. I've always liked Bill, even though there is still some bad feelings with me and his wife.

[KillTheMessenger]

A fight worth fighting!

[PorkBelly]

This should make Nicholas Kristof very happy.

[beboy]

Good for him!

[barackobama4prez]

Who cares. Blacks are so over Bill Clinton. He certainly had alot of us fooled.

[jlgcox]

I am African American I do not believe the Clintons are racists. I do believe they would do and say anything to win and that is want happen in this case. Also, they underestimate the American people (white, brown, black, yellow and red) desire for CHANGE - for Obama supporters it is not about gender or race!

[debwarot]

Thanks, jlgcoz, for a gerat, truthful and honest post!

[barackobama4prez]

Good for you. I mispoke earlier when I attempted to paint all Blacks with a broad brush. I should have said all the Blacks I know are anti-clinton after their foul primary.

[mhoiles]

So your over him? Good.... move along now

[barackobama4prez]

I've earned the right to post here. Not going anywhere, and Bill is highly overrated. He can't touch Obama.

[barackobama4prez]

Just as people will never embrace O, I will never embrace either Clinton again. Too much was done, too much was said. Doesn't matter if I'm elected or not!

[kissmygrits]

Good. Get back to your good work at the foundation.

[crossoverwriter]

A relief to know that Bill has a better activity than sulking, blowing his top, spewing racist statements about Barack and then whining that Barack has tainted his name against Blacks.
Best BC gets back to the good his foundation can do and get off the stump.

[closetodemfection]

Nice to see the first 10 comments are as shallow as usual.

[mhoiles]

The liberal wing of the party is just finding out wht the right has know for years. Bill Clinton is like a cat he always lands on his feet.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Your's makes 11, PUMA.

[debwarot]

Good morning!

Remember when you said Hillary's debt would be paid off by the middle of July? ("Oh and BTW, her debt will be gone by mid-July. Then she won't have to suffer your powerful scrutiny anymore". Posted 03:13 AM on 07/10/2008) Today is July 17 and her web site is still running their same old, usual plea for money: "Hillary needs your support. Contribute today to help us pay down the debt from one of the hardest-fought primary races in history." Looks like you were wrong!

And remember when you said June wouldn't be a successful fund raising month for Obama? (“You'll be even sicker after you see O's June fundraising totals.” posted 07/16/2008 at 17:43:59) Well it seems he raised $52 in June, which is pretty damn good by anyone's accounting. Wrong again!

You have been dead wrong about both of your claims and this is a case in which two wrongs definitely do not make a right! If one was inclined to be unkind, one might point out that you do not seem to know what you are talking about. But I think I will just let people draw their own conclusions.

[Olerist]

Bill and Hill will do anything to help their Pharmica buddies get richer while appearing to be humanitarian at the same time.

[Bill3rdterm]

Spoken like someone who is totally clueless on an issue, then opens his mouth and proves it.

[PumaAnn]

Good for Bill! He's back to his real work in the world.

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

Thank you, President Clinton, for continuing to focus on huge problems of global healthcare. Only Jimmy Carter has done as much, post-presidency as you have. Compare you two with all of the ex-repube presidents. They spend their time lounging around on their huge estates, enjoying their vast amounts of money, and getting in 18 holes a day....most of the time off of their ill-gotten gains. My son the other day, asked me what I thought the biggest difference was in the political parties. I said that, in my opinion, the Dems. live by the Golden Rule, and the repubes live by the "I"ve got mine, so f***you if you don't have yours". Simple really.

[wizardofoz]

well said sir,some of the other bloggers or TROLLS on this site have no RESPECT for an ex president
who put 20 million AMERICANS to work and also left a surplus,before the VETO man came along.

[cambio]

Bill has no respect for himself, or any of us, all he cares about it power. He is an ex-president? Really? I couldn't tell by his red-faced, finger-pointing, pathological-lying diatribes against Obama, the media, and anyone that doesn't agree with him. He exploited racism to try to defeat the first black president, of his own party! Does Bill deserve respect? Hellll no. He certainly doesn't act like a former president, he acts like a child.

[MelDel7365]

Well Said. It is a reflection of where their true priorities lie.

You would think that the voters in this country (particularly those who struggle to make ends meet) would see that the former Republican presidents retire and live lavishly off of their backs (my bet is that W. and Chaney will be no different -- these high gas prices and the war profiteering corporations enriched by the Iraq war will be a boon for them) While the Dems retire and continue to try to help those who are less fortunate.

[Tropiholic]

it's a wonderful thing to do good works, many people work tirelessly for others without any fanfare. bill likes the spotlight, but if that's what i takes for him to get back to doing something worthwhile, i'm all for it

[Bill3rdterm]

That's the way you get big donors for operations like this. It's a pretty simple concept.

[justobserve]

What Bill is doing for the world malaria is very good with his Foundation, well-funded by his business friends. But if you want to talk about politics then Bill, as a Democrat elder, what has he done lately for the party? It seems if Hillary is not the conduit for him to get back to the WH for a third term then he is not interested for the party to win in November.

[Bill3rdterm]

Al Gore pushed Bill away, as did John Kerry. Then Obama tried to paint him in the same light as GWB and even went as far to praise Reagon, but not make one mention of any of the positves of the Clinton white house. He painted his wife as this old typical washington politician (something Obama is acting like as we speak). Had his lackies paint them as racists and bait them with the BS. Yet, you think he should go out of his way to help Obama???? If Obama wants his help, he can ask Bill. IMO I'd rather have Bill working to save lives, then working to help the empty suit panderer.

[motherfather]

Bill is the worst... I still can't believe he hasn't come out fully for Obama.. When I think of all the crap I took for him during Monicagate. I am so disappointed.

[itsafreakingame]

To bad Bill Clinton didn't help destroy the 4th amendment like Obama did then maybe he could have gotten pass it but no he had to do a horrendous thing like having straight sex, what an abomination! Maybe the destruction of the 4th amendment of our constitution is why Bill doesn’t support Obama.

[MsBrina]

Are you serious? This has got to be a bad joke. How has Sen. Obama destroyed the 4th Amendment?

[Bill3rdterm]

First of all, the last two presidential nominees of the Dem. party pushed Bill away, now you want him to be the one to go out fully supporting a candidate who ran one of the most passive aggressive campaigns I've ever seen and the f''ing MSM let him get away with it. If Obama wants Bills help he can ask for it, but I wouldn't blame Bill for saying GO F YOURSELF>

[PumaAnn]

You took crap? How?

And I wouldn't look for much support from Bill. Being painted as a racist just didn't really go over well with him. There are some things Obama cannot undo. That was one.

[MsBrina]

Bill Clinton was not branded a racist by Sen Obama or blacks, you simpleton. He was accused of pandering to the blue collar bigots ( aka Dixie Democrats). You know, the hard working, white folks. * Blank stare of disgust*

[cambio]

Are you REALLY surprised though? I never expected him to act like an adult and support Obama. I may have given him that much credit at the beginning of the primary, but after seeing his behavior throughout the campaign, I knew there was no way in hell he was going to act his age.

[Mayoyo]

Yeah, keep him busy with other things....make sure he shuts up on anything related to the campaign.,

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

True...you saw how well that worked for Gore and Kerry.

[EspressoAtNoon]

Bill must be getting a royalty on every pill sold - you don't earn $110 million in seven years by being a philanthropist.

[punkingale]

No. But you can do that by writing best-sellers and making speeches.

[justobserve]

The "making speeches" is the very questionable part of making millions. Hillary said "speech is just words" so how come it cost millions to pay Bill? What works he did for them after the speech is what bring in millions.

[MsBrina]

Yeah right!

Believing that lie, is like believing Fake News is Hillary Clinton's BFF, now.