From reading [the ICCR report “Benchmarking AIDS” & the companies' responses to the report], it is clear that the pharmaceutical industry finds it very easy to blame the inability of 40 million HIV/AIDS-positive individuals to receive sufficient medical treatment squarely on the dilapidated and inefficient health systems in Africa and most developing countries...From these responses, one can see that pharmaceutical companies have developed a strategic cover to hide their own contributions to this lack of access and lay claim to other reasons as to why the pharmaceutical industry, specifically under patent protection, is not part of the problem...If patents are not the issue, then why did 39 pharmaceutical companies file law suit against South Africa when it attempted to expand antiretroviral treatment for her HIV positive citizens?...This is a clear case of double standard and equally touches at the core of human rights denial. [refers to Novartis, Pfizer, Abbott] [Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Abbott Laboratories to respond to the allegations, but it declined to respond]