CBIS began its engagement with Gilead Sciences on the issue of access to health for the world’s poor in 2016. CBIS has already met with the access to Medicine Foundation to discuss ways Gilead and the pharmaceutical industry can help the world’s poorest people access the medicine they need. Pharmaceutical companies have an important role to play by responding with concrete, effective action to combat diseases that disproportionately affect the poor and vulnerable. Expanding the supply of life-saving medications can help meet an urgent public health need in low-income countries. Gilead produces and has improved access to medications in developing countries for HIV, hepatitis, and disease caused by parasites. CBIS will work with Gilead to ensure the company is evaluating reduced pricing options to expand coverage for patients, coordinating and supporting education for medical and clinical workers, and expanding innovative patent agreements to hepatitis therapies.
In the first quarter of 2017, CBIS and other shareholders had a call in April to discuss Gilead’s new focus:
- Market expansion: To tackle the Hepatitis C crisis, Gilead will build new manufacturing plants in China where 10 million people are infected. Gilead hopes to replace outdated medications with poor cure rates.
- Pilot projects: Gilead donated drugs to the government of Georgia, the country with the world’s third highest prevalence of hepatitis C. The goal is a 90% reduction in prevalence by 2020.
- Global frameworks: The company committed to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring healthy lives and well-being worldwide by 2030, a positive step.