Review for Fire In The Blood

Medicine is a right, not a privilege. However, watching this film it makes you realise that medicine is not a right or a privilege... it's a business. Now, I always knew that medicine companies where never good people looking to rid the world of all diseases. Instead the are fatcat investors and marketers who look for a disease and then don't look for a cure, but instead look for something that will help you live with it. As Bill Hicks once said 'If they ever found a 100% cure for AIDS you know there's going to be some f***ing in the streets on that day!'

Fire in the Blood is a documentary that shows just how much pharmaceutical companies spend more on marketing than they do on actually research for cures. Even this fact could be seen as shocking and Dylan Mohan Gray's film, narrated by Oscar-winner William Hurt, looks at how the discovery of AIDS and its treatment has been one of the worst cases of profit over prevention that has ever happened.

When the AIDS crisis happened in the 1980s it seemed that there was no cure and to some extent there still isn't. However, after much research a number of medicines were discovered to fight or at least ease the symptoms of the disease. However, the drugs needed to do this originally cost upwards of $15,000 a year! Now, as it was shown, if you were rich and you had the disease then this figure was in your grasp, if you were poor that price tag was just another nail in your coffin.

We explore how the use of similar drugs was outlawed because the companies put patents on the drugs making it illegal to duplicate. Yet these other drugs not only worked as well they were much cheaper. What this meant is that in Africa where thousands upon millions were being diagnosed with the disease could not gain access to the drugs, they were simply being left to die. This is a sickening fact that the documentary goes through in detail and at times it is utterly heartbreaking.

Despite this, there have been some improvements and the documentary does not just dwell on the misery. Some shines of victory are shown throughout which at least make you feel that even if the disease is not yet totally curable, there is still hope.

This documentary is very difficult to watch at times. This is mainly because what you witness is so bleak, heartbreaking and at times infuriating. The very idea that a company could create a drug that could potentially ease suffering and restrict its access is disgusting. Watching the Doctors talk about how they have to choose who should have access has an almost 'Sophie's Choice' effect and listening to the backward people commenting about people from Africa wouldn't know how to take the drugs is insane!

It is rather surprising that this was not nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar, as it surely would have deserved it. The film takes you through the effects of AIDS and the treatment that has been created over the years and for those who have watched the recent Dallas Buyers Club will be able to understand more just how difficult it was for people to get these drugs... and also just how vital they were.

The DVD comes with a number of Extra Features. These include a lot of Deleted Scenes which could have easily been slotted into the film and maybe they should have included them as an 'Extended Version' option. Also included are two Extended Interviews with Dr Peter Rost and Prof. Joseph Stoglitz. Again these could have easily been added to the film and they all give you more information and stories about the horrors that people had to go through. Finally, there are a number of Trailers.

It is sad that there is nothing from the filmmakers such as an Interview or Commentary as it would have been nice to have known why the film was made or what prompted them to do so.

Fire in the Blood is a documentary that everyone who works in the pharmaceutical industry should be forced to watch. After watching they should be forced to look in the mirror and either say the phrase 'I will change my policy' or 'I am a scumbag'. This is an amazing film and like it says in the end: 'Don't let there be a sequel'.