Week ending: May 10, 2019
By: Sable K. Nelson
House Oversight Committee to Hold Hearing on Gilead’s Exorbitant Price for HIV Prevention Drug
On Thursday, May 16, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., the Committee on Oversight and Reform will hold a hearing on “HIV Prevention Drug: Billions in Corporate Profits after Millions in Taxpayer Investments.”
WHERE: 2154 Rayburn House Office Building
WHEN: Thursday, May 16, 2019
TIME: 10:00 a.m.
You can watch a livestream broadcast here.
PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND
The hearing will examine the Gilead’s pricing for an HIV prevention drug known as Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The hearing also will examine taxpayer funding that led to approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and whether the public is receiving an appropriate return on its investment.
WITNESSES
Daniel O’Day
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Dr. Robert Grant
Professor of Medicine
University of California, San Francisco
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPJ
Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Tim Horn
Director, Medication Access and Pricing
National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
Dr. Aaron Lord
PrEP Patient and Advocate
For more information, READ.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ ‘Conscience’ Rules, Rx Prices and Still More Medicare
Joanne Kenen of Politico, Jen Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the latest news about the Trump administration’s effort to allow health care practitioners and organizations to refuse to provide care or refer patients for services that violate their conscience or religion. Also this week, the administration orders TV ads for prescription drugs to include list prices. And Tennessee wants free rein from the federal government to run its Medicaid program. Plus, Rovner interviews Joan Biskupic, author of a new book on Chief Justice John Roberts, about the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the 2012 ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. For more information, LISTEN.
Submit Comments to Inform the Development of a STD Federal Action Plan (DEADLINE–June 3, 2019)
To help inform the development of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Federal Action Plan, HHS seeks input from stakeholders on what strategies can be implemented by federal agencies to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, coordination, accountability, and impact of our national response to increasing rates of STDs. Rates of STDs in 2017 reached an all-time high among males and females and all racial and ethnic groups. To be assured consideration, comments must be received at the address provided below, no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on June 3, 2019. Electronic responses are strongly preferred and may be addressed to STDPlan@hhs.gov. Written responses should be addressed to:
Attention STD RFI
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
330 C Street SW, Room L001
Washington, DC 20024
For more information, READ.
What You Can Do
TAKE ACTION: It is very important that our elected officials hear from us to protect federal funding for HIV prevention and care. Speak truth to power by sharing your personal stories with your elected officials. It is vitally important to meet with your federal elected officials when they are at home. If we don’t support and advocate for HIV funding and programs, who will? Our movement cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives need to hear from you.
- Find your U.S. Senators: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
- Find your U.S. Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
What NMAC is Doing About It
- NMAC remains vigilant in its advocacy to protect FY20 government funding and the existence of the social safety net.
- NMAC is working in coalition to defend the right of people living with HIV to serve in the US military.