Bayer HealthCare & African Sleeping Sickness

In 2002, Bayer HealthCare agreed to supply - at no cost and for an initial five-year period - as much of the sleeping sickness medicine Germanin (suramin) as the World Health Organization (WHO) determines is needed to eliminate the disease. The initial donation comprised 50,000 ampoules. Bayer is also in favor of supporting an 'Integrated Sleeping Sickness Initiative' fostered by a broad base of institutions and covering all aspects of the disease from infection, diagnosis and therapy to prevention. The agreement was renewed in 2008, whereby Bayer will provide, free-of-charge, 50,000 ampoules of Germanin to the WHO, over a five-year period.