HIV/AIDS in India, China and Brazil: Comparing pharmaceutical context of trade and related health policies

India, China and Brazil – all emerging economies (and the world's fastest growing ones)- have been challenged with their HIV/AIDS epidemic. All three have rapidly growing pharmaceutical industries that together comprise more than 50% of the world's generic drug supply. Facing respective HIV/AIDS epidemics during the 1990's, each differed in its nation's responsiveness and public health efforts. Brazil with its National AIDS Program (NAP) has demonstrated governmental willingness toward public health dissemination of antiretrovirals through its public manufacturing and distribution programs. Like Brazil, India has all the resources necessary to adequately address and curb this problem, though its Pharma industry is private. Yet, the challenges that this country confronts stem from lack of government establishing a strong public health infrastructure – one that would include surveillance, diagnosis and treatment of not only the HIV/AIDS affected populations, but also those with complications arising from the disease. China, on the other hand, has several HIV/AIDS sub-epidemics that overlap each other. Its implementation of policies entails minimal prevention and public education about the disease; prior to 2003; antiretroviral access in China was limited to few; and towards the end of this decade, access for drug users, commercial sex workers, MSM, and other affected groups remains a most pressing concern. Despite the availability of resources, manpower and skilled personnel; all three countries in their political realm have tried to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic using different approaches. While HIV/AIDS is highly stigmatized in India and China; Brazil has a more open approach, proven to be a working model with albeit, limited success in preventing and containing HIV transmissions. This study aims to compare and contrast the various drug trade and pharmaceutical policy approaches taken by each nation in combating HIV/AIDS, along with government willingness to address global trade related issues, including patent provisions on antiretrovirals to protect their populations.