Brazilian policy of universal access to AIDS treatment: sustainability challenges and perspectives

We conclude that the Brazilian experience demonstrated the capability of a developing country to treat people with equity, independently of race, gender or economic power and that this equality "seed" has already spread to other countries. Internally this experience must be used to tackle other endemic diseases, such as leprosy, malaria, dengue and leishmania. The Brazilian political will has been proven but, once again, there will be the need for concerted action by civil society, researchers, health professionals, people living with HIV/AIDS and the government to convince the world that health needs should not be treated as commercial issues, and that progress in research and development must be shared throughout the world if we expect to survive as a civilization.