ECONOMIC ASPECT

From the point of view of the companies, patent protection is justified because the very high development costs have to be covered and patents usually only provide effective protection for intellectual property 10-15 years after market launch. In addition, the costs for drugs that are not marketable should also be covered.

ETHIC ASPECT

The biggest and also most important ethical aspect is the question of how the drugs against HIV should be distributed globally. This includes access to therapies and medicines. Most of the time, the developing countries are the ones that do not have access to drugs. Africa is also a developing country and many HIV-infected people in Africa do not have access to the medicines they need or cannot take therapy. Fortunately, this situation has improved in recent years. Manufacturers have reduced the prices of the drugs in developing countries by up to 95 percent due to demands from the public. 

LONG TERM INFLUENCE

South Africa is still in the development stage and, like other Third World countries, has problems with building the necessary infrastructure and basic medical care. Currently, South Africa does not manufacture many drugs domestically but buys them from other countries that own the patents. If the drugs were public property, their price would not be dictated by a few manufacturers, plus others could work to improve them and produce them more efficiently. In the long run, this could help take pressure off the South African economy and help launch awareness campaigns and fight the disease itself instead of just treating the symptoms.