Drug Companies Put Profits Over Lives

pHaze writes: "An article on BBC news says 39 Pharmaceutical companies have taken the South African Government to court to try and block legislation which gives the SA government powers to import or manufacturer cheaper versions of brand-name drugs, specifically HIV and AIDS medication. This is an interesting clash of intellectual property rights versus morality, and if the SA government wins this one (and it looks like they might), does it set a precedent on government's ability to violate international patents at will?"