European Union Approves $468 Million Program To Combat AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Improve Reproductive Health

The European Union on Tuesday approved a $468 million program to fight poverty-related diseases, such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and promote reproductive health in developing countries, Agence France-Presse reports. E.U. foreign ministers approved the funds -- $87 million of which will go to promote reproductive health -- at a recent meeting of the European Parliament. The funds will be used to work toward the U.N. goals of halting the spread of the three diseases and reducing mortality rates for pregnant women in the developing world by 2015. In addition, the European Union next week plans to adopt a measure aimed at encouraging pharmaceutical companies to offer discounts on drugs to treat AIDS, TB and malaria. The agreement has been delayed over concerns that the discounted drugs could be reimported into the European Union, undercutting profits for European pharmaceutical companies (Agence France-Presse, 5/20).