South Africa Trip, HIV / AIDS in Africa

Recently, Dr. Brewitt returned from a ten day trip to South Africa. She was an invited member of a 40 person Women of Democracy delegation from the University of Washington to learn more about the HIV/AIDS epidemic, its impact on global health and safe, viable treatment options.

The trip to Africa held special importance for Dr. Brewitt. It marked her first opportunity to meet with the clinical team from the University of Johannesburg , who hope to replicate the data showing CSE^® medicines' ability to benefit HIV/AIDS infected people.

April 20, 2004 was the start date for the clinical study. HIV infected orphans will be the first individuals in South Africa to benefit from CSE^® medicine.

The hope is that soon after the study is completed Dr. Brewitt's medicines will be able to fill South Africa's critical need for affordable, effective treatment.

South Africa is one of the countries most affected by HIV, with 5-6 million individuals infected:

• In parts of the country, 20% of the 15-49 year old population are infected.
• Up to 40% of women of child-bearing age are infected
• One out of every four women and one out of every eleven men are infected
• Conservatively 12-13% of the whole population in South Africa is infected and by 2005 this rate could exceed 15%
• Approximately 2,300 new infections occur each day (or over 850,000 annually)
• The average life span in South African has dropped from 94 years of age to 56
• Roughly 40% of adult deaths and 25% of all deaths in 2000 were due to AIDS.

Without effective prevention and treatment, 5-7 million cumulative AIDS deaths are anticipated by 2010 (with 1.5 million deaths in 2010 alone), and there will be over 1 million sick with AIDS. HIV infection in South Africa is greater per person than in any other country.

Since 1996 Dr. Brewitt has been an active researcher developing and testing new medicines that can effectively serve the needs of people throughout the world. Her vision is to provide safe, affordable and effective medicines worldwide.

Read the article on the completetion of the South Africa study.