From: rastern@sol.racsa.co.cr Date: Sun, 14 Sep 1997 15:02:01 +0600 (GMT) Subject: SUPREME COURT CHALLENGE: COSTA RICA News from Triangulo Rosa: Please feel free to repost or reprint. COSTA RICAN COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS ON AIDS MEDS San Jose Costa Rica 13 September, 1997. By Richard Stern The Costa Rica Supreme Court has begun to hear arguments in the case of William Garcia a 29 year old psychology student who is gravely ill with AIDS. William filed an appeal with the Court on the 28th of August, asking the government funded health care provider, the "Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social" (CCSS) to provide him with the retroviral medications that he urgently needs to save his life. The CCSS has refused to provide any of these medications to AIDS patients here, with the exception of AZT which is given to pregnant women. William who has suffered from repeated opportunistic infections, has lost 50 pounds since February, and currently weighs just 85, although at present he is not hospitalized. The Medical Director of the CCSS, Julieta Rodriguez, filed an affadavit last week with the Supreme court stating that the new medications do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the CCSS "official list" medications She stated that they are highly toxic as well as "too expensive" for the government to buy." She indicated that the price per patient would be about $900 per month. But Guillermo Murillo, AIDS Coordinator for the gay/lesbian Association Triangulo Rosa indicated that this estimate is highly inflated. "The actual price would be more like $500 per month, because the pharmaceutical companies are offering discounts if the government buys the medications," he said. Javier Moya a private physician who examined William on Wedneday stated in his affidavit that "it is imperative that William begin to take a retroviral "cocktail" as soon as possible. Without them his life expectation is 3 - 6 months or less." Next Tuesday, Ignacio Salom, the CCSS physician officially charged with caring for William, will testify before the Supreme Court judges. Marco Castillo, Garcia´s lawyer, expressed cautious optimism stating that it "unusual for the Court to hear arguments so quickly. They are clearly making the case a priority." At the moment there are about 300 people in Costa Rica who urgently need access to the new medications. About 1200 cases of AIDS have been diagnosed here since the epidemic began. There are an estimated 10,000 HIV+ persons here. Costa Rica´s population is 3 million. William has no income and the government has denied his application for a pension. He comes from a family of 7 children and his parents are both retired and live on an income of less than $200 monthly. From 1994-96, William worked in a hotel, and contributed the required 23 percent of his income to the government´s health/social security system. Currently he lives with his brother and sister-in-law in the San José suburb of Alajuela. Triangulo Rosa has established a special fund to help with William´s expenses, including food supplements as well as taxi fares so that he can attend medical and legal appointments. For more information about this fund, please contact Triangulo Rosa as listed below. Triangulo Rosa: "William Fund" Apartado 366-2200 Coronado, Costa Rica Tel: 506-234-2411 Fax: 506-223-3964 e-mail: rastern@sol.racsa.co.cr