Analyzing Societal Influence on Product Development

HIV AIDS / HIV / AIDS: Societal Influence on Product Development The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). This virus interferes with the ability of the body to counter disease causing organisms. Factors that Affected the response to HIV-AIDs 1980s-present day There were several factors that influenced the response by the government and the pharmaceutical industry to the emergence of the AIDs virus. Social Factors This came out largely in the form of the degree of empowerment. Women were in a system that saw them as less than equal.

Factors such as the movement of people within and without countries affected how well the disease was tracked. Many countries were not tracking the disease or did not have systems to survey it and even identify the people who had the highest risk of contracting it. Another social factor was that the youth were uninhibited when it came to talking on sensitive subjects. This was an advantage because the issue of HIV / AIDS could be spoken of and awareness created.

However, the disadvantage was that the youth were uninhibited in their engagement in risky behavior towards sex, which could expose them to the disease. Another social issue was that of the Arab/MENA countries which did not advocate for the discussion of sex or any related topics to it freely. Some countries even propagated the idea that HIV / AIDS could only be contracted by the pariahs of society such as those working as prostitutes, those who engaged in homosexual behavior, the drug addicts among others.

Yassin (2013), states that this view refused to acknowledge the fact that many seemingly safe, married women were contracting the disease in large numbers. In the nineties, the number of reported patients with HIV / AIDS was over 300,000 even though it was estimated that the real number approached one million. Through the years, the numbers have increased but so has the life expectancy of these patients. Diagnoses are faster today and treatments have improved greatly. In the U.S.A., there is access to better treatment resulting in higher life expectancy.

However sadly, in other parts of the world, over 30 million people still do not have access to these treatments (Nazario, 2014). Avert (2015) states that with more education, there have been more plans and medical aid provided to those suffering the illness. The PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief) was set up by President George W. Bush in the year 2003 to help fight the disease especially in countries which had a large number of infected people. It was a plan for five years budgeted at $15 billion.

Political Forces These have influenced the response in terms of laws that have been made, policies that have been adopted, the way funding has been directed, among others. Some political decisions have promoted discrimination of certain groups of people such as homosexuals, those at highest risk and even women. This kind of discrimination does not help but increases the risk of the most vulnerable section. Conservativeness as well as holding to traditional ideals did not help the situation.

This situation has changed over the years as prevention is emphasized and appropriate treatment and the care of patients is enhanced. The international promotion of human rights has also helped the situation. These rights must be taken into account when dealing with the ussie of HIV / AIDS and results in better services, treatment and care for infected and affected persons (ICASO, 2015). Lessons Learnt Stigma and discrimination have been reduced greatly over the years. However, where it exists it should be dealt with and eliminated.

The lesson learnt is that ignoring or ridiculing an issue does not eliminate the issues. They must be dealt with openness, non-discrimination and combined efforts. Though medical science has made great strides in helping people suffering the disease, at the same time other efforts need to be made to curb the spread of the same. Communities must be collaborative in these efforts and adequate leadership should be provided with a view to stop the spread of the disease (Valdiserri, 2016).

Influencing the development of medical products thenceforth Medical science has come up with previously unimagined treatments and these have offered a better.