[Ip-health] ACT UP New York action against Glaxo

[Kate Krauss]

I just noticed this on my email---there seems to be quite a bit of activist
anger building over this.

Katie Krauss

May 13 - Members of ACT UP/NY zapped a meeting of GlaxoSmithKline's
"Positive Action" project today to protest GSK's refusal to offer additional
discounts and rebates to AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, as other drug
companies have recently done.

The ACT UP members entered Citerella restaurant and asked GSK staff why
their company refused to follow the lead of other drug companies.  After
being escorted out, they passed out flyers to all arriving meeting attendees
which read as follows:

WHY IS GSK REFUSING TO TAKE "POSITIVE ACTION" TO SAVE ADAP?

Five drug companies (Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim, Gilead, Hoffmann-LaRoche,
and Merck) have all recently negotiated price discounts and freezes with
state ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) directors.  But GlaxoSmithKline
has refused to put a serious offer on the table.

ADAP programs, which provide HIV treatment to thousands who lack health
insurance, are facing a financial crisis.  Just one month into the new
fiscal year, 10 ADAPs have shut their doors to new enrollees.  Over 500
people living with HIV are on waiting lists to get into the program.

1.7 Million Americans are losing Medicaid coverage this year due to state
cuts. There is no other recourse for people with HIV who lose their Medicaid
other than ADAP.

Glaxo's refusal to offer additional discounts to ADAPs will force the
programs to lower their financial eligibility and to remove needed drugs
from their formularies.  This will damage the health and threaten the lives
of  even those who have managed to get into ADAPs that are still enrolling.

WE DEMAND:

GSK MUST RETURN TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ADAP CRISIS TASK FORCE.

GSK MUST MAKE A SERIOUS OFFER OF DEEP DISCOUNTS AND REBATES TO ADAPs.

DISCOUNTS MUST BE AVAILABLE TO ALL STATE AND TERRITORIAL ADAPs.

ACT UP