On Monday in Durban, a session called to focus attention on the drug companies' generosity ended in chaos, with activists demanding to know why the World Health Organization was celebrating donations from multibillion-dollar companies rather than courting generic-drug makers, like Cipla-Medpro, which could supply medicines more cheaply. The medical relief group Doctors Without Borders reported Thursday that generic versions of 10 essential AIDS drugs sold in eight countries cost, on average, 82% less than brand-name counterparts sold in the USA.

The multinational drug companies that hold patents on the drugs have rejected or failed to respond to [Jerome Smith]'s request that they license his company to produce generic versions of their drugs in South Africa, even though he is willing to pay royalties of 2% to 5% for the privilege. And the South African government has yet to ease patent restrictions that prevent Cipla-Medpro from selling its AIDS drugs in Africa.

* Merck & Co. and the Gates Foundation say they will provide $100 million in money and medicines to AIDS-devastated Botswana over five years. Merck plans to supply anti-HIV drugs, while the Gates Foundation will help build up the country's medical system. One- third of Botswana's 1.6 million adults are infected with HIV, the AIDS virus; the program will help 16,000 of them, says Jeffrey Sturchio, a Merck spokesman. After the five years, he says, people will be able to buy Merck's drugs at a steep discount.