Fire In The Blood

Fire in the Blood, a 2013 documentary film directed by Dylan Mohan Gray, is a Himalayan effort to explore a very important but often neglected global health issue - the apparent inaccessibility of vital life-saving drugs for HIV/AIDS for millions living in the poorest regions of the world, particularly Africa and Asia. The film bravely questions the morality of the global pharmaceutical industry, which it insinuates has largely been built on an unwavering profit-before-people ideal. The film also looks critically at the global political landscape and its complicity in perpetuating such conditions.

The diverse pool of interviewees in the film is notable, with contributions from activists, health caregivers, patients, diplomats, politicians, and legal experts. Key among these are Zackie Achmat, a South African AIDS activist, and Dr. Peter Mugyenyi, a Ugandan physician and prominent figure in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. A poignant, softened human touch is seen in the film by including insights from an interview with former U.S. president, Bill Clinton, who has been in the global forefront of anti-HIV/AIDS advocacy through his foundation.

The film's narration rolls out a dramatic tale of how western pharmaceutical corporations deliberately denied several of the world's poorest nations access to cheap and affordable generic HIV drugs, clamping down instead with mind-boggling prices for patented versions, hence sentencing millions to death. Fire in the Blood presents these actions as a form of 'slow genocide,' drawing on heart-wrenching, realistic testimonies from patients, doctors, and others on the frontline.

The documentary seeks to unravel the complex machinations behind this state of affairs, gradually moving to explore the intricate world of international patent laws and their interpretation, the influence of lobby groups and how political decisions can be swayed. The collusion of governments that put economic interests ahead of their citizens' health, particularly under pressure from pharmaceutical lobbying and foreign policy, is laid bare with stark transparency. Gray's film specifically places an emphasis on the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) under the World Trade Organization as a crucial factor contributing to this humanitarian crisis.

At the core of Fire in the Blood, though, are stories of resistance and hope. Zackie Achmat, a prominent figure in the film, is credited as the founder of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) based in South Africa. This movement was born out of frustration at the government and pharmaceutical industry's inaction. Refusing to take anti-retroviral drugs himself until they were available to all South Africans, Achmat's story becomes a rallying point in the film and a springboard for discussions on global activism and pharmaceutical ethics.

The documentary equally chronicles the efforts of renegade medics and activists, specifically in India and South Africa, who refused to stand idle in the face of this crisis, as well as the struggle to blow open the gate of accessibility to affordable 'generic' anti-retroviral drugs in the global south against all odds. This 'battle' pits them against colossal pharmaceutical corporations bent on enforcing intellectual property rights and patent laws at almost criminal prices.

Fire in the Blood is a quest for justice, a cry of defiance against gross inhumanity, and a tribute to the ordinary men and women who dared to stand up against corporate might and political indifference for the sake of the millions facing death from a controllable and manageable disease. It's a thought-provoking documentary that meticulously answers questions around the high cost of essential drugs, the struggle between profit and life, and the power of activism and coalition-building to bring about meaningful change.