McAleese attacks AIDS drug profiteers

COMPANIES involved in the production of HIV/AIDS drugs are doing their best to make substantial profits from advances made by scientists, President Mary McAleese said yesterday.

Mrs McAleese was speaking to 100 delegates from 37 countries who gathered in Dublin for a UNICEF-organised meeting to discuss the global epidemic, particularly its impact on children.

An estimated 44 million people around the world have contracted HIV/AIDS and a further 25m have so far died from the virus. The vast majority of the deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa and 20% of all those who die around the world from HIV/AIDS are children under the age of 15.