Letter to Gilead. Access to Viread in China
Mr Joe Steele Senior Director, Commercial Development
Dear Mr Steele,
MSF began antiretroviral treatment in 2001 and is now treating more than 34,000 patients in 28 countries. In our project in China we have over 200 patients receiving ARV, all of them on first line treatment. Nevertheless, we expect to have some patients on second-line regimens in the near future. As you know, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF, Vireade) is one of the WHO recommended second-line drugs.
According to the information coming from the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), Viread® is not registered in China.
Not only is MSF concerned about access to Viread® at an affordable price for our projects, but about access for the entire Chinese population. By neglecting the people of China, Gilead is failing to fulfill its commitment to broadening "access by providing HIV care products at a loss" to the "programs that need them most".
We therefore urge Gilead to register and market Viread® in China at the price offered to developing countries (US$ 301 per year), for both the public and private sector.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation in responding to our letter. We are available for a meeting during the HIV Conference in Rio de Janeiro (24-27 July) in case you are attending the event. We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest possible convenience.
Fernando Pascual Marinez
HIV Focal Pharmacist
MSF Access Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
Elodie Jambert
Field Pharmacist, MSF China Project