Today millions of people living with HIV in South-East Asia are receiving treatment and leading healthy lives thanks to affordable generic antiretroviral (ARVs) medicines.

Governments and treatment providers across Asia, such as the government of Indonesia and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) patients across our missions in many countries, depend on an uninterrupted supply of affordable generic HIV medicines to reduce new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in the region.

But as the trade negotiators from 16 countries gather in Indonesia next week to deliberate the terms of trade agreement — the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement (RCEP), access to low-cost generic medicines is under grave threat.

As a member of ASEAN, Indonesia is part of negotiations of this free trade agreement, along with its trading partners including India, Australia, ...