Articles for Nathan Geffen
The banal evil of drug pricing
Martin Shkreli was the most hated man on the internet for a brief time this week. His company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, pushed up the price of a medicine, pyrimethamine, used to treat a life-threatening disease from $13.50 (approx R185) to $750 (approx R10,250) a pill.
Nathan Geffen
Opinion | 23 September 2015
Gays and sin: In limited defence of Zizipho Pae
In response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision recognising gay marriage, UCT Student Representative Council (SRC) vice-president Zizipho Pae wrote on her Facebook page on 28 June, “We are institutionalizing and normalizing sin! Sin. May God have mercy on us...”. Pae has subsequently continued to defend her statement.
Nathan Geffen
Opinion | 30 July 2015
Two massive medicine trials will change the way HIV is treated
Results of two large medicine trials, known as START and TEMPRANO, published this week show that the health of people with HIV will benefit from starting antiretroviral treatment earlier. These findings are a climax of a bit more than three decades of research on this relatively new disease.
Nathan Geffen
News | 22 July 2015
There’s no excuse, Minister: Here’s the proof
There are massive medicine stockouts in the public health system. These are mainly due to failures within the state system, not external problems such as global supply shortages that Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi has claimed are primarily responsible. Here’s the proof.
Ashleigh FurlongNathan Geffen
News | 30 June 2015
Where have all the medicines gone?
Drug shortages in South Africa’s health facilities have become a crisis. Today we report that Stanger Hospital and health facilities in Ilembe District KwaZulu-Natal are out of stock of over 200 products between them.
Ashleigh Furlong and Nathan Geffen
Feature | 6 June 2015
Start HIV treatment sooner, study shows
It’s important to start treating people with HIV sooner rather than later, according to the findings of a large clinical study which could change treatment in many countries including South Africa.
Nathan Geffen
News | 27 May 2015
Gauteng hospital shambles
A doctor at South Africa’s largest hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) in Soweto, has described chaotic planning and management that is putting patient care at risk.
Nathan Geffen and Ben Stanwix
News | 4 May 2015
Good and bad approaches to upgrading informal settlements
In February the City of Cape Town’s Anti-Land Invasion Unit (ALIU) dismantled a family’s shack in Mfuleni. This acrimonious incident raises important questions about how informal settlements are to be upgraded.
Nathan Geffen
Opinion | 9 March 2015
ANC calls for “deregistration of TAC”
The ANC Youth League Free State has called for the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) to be deregistered. This follows TAC's "Fire Benny" campaign, which calls for the dismissal of the province's Health MEC Benny Malakoane.
Nathan Geffen and GroundUp Staff
News | 19 February 2015