Abbott Promises Expanded AIDS Drug Access, But Fails to Deliver

Apr. 28, 2006

Student Global AIDS Campaign

Original article at http://www.fightglobalaids.org/news/?p=42

While activists around the world protested Abbott Laboratories AIDS policies today, Abbott shareholders attended the company’s annual meeting where the CEO, Miles White, pledged to expand the company’s access initiative to provide affordable drugs to countries in need. Hours later, however, the company “clarified” that it apparently has no intention of offering affordable prices to “middle” income countries like Guatemala as activists had asked.

This morning over a hundred activists conducted two simultaneous “die in” actions outside the shareholders meeting and the Tribune Building in Chicago, where White sits on the board. These actions coincided with similar actions at Abbott offices in five states and actions in Nigeria, Tanzania, Thailand, and the UK.

Several members of the Student Global AIDS Campaign attended the shareholder meeting, where Andrew Kohan, SGAC member from the George Washington University, questioned White about the ACCESS program. Kohan asked White whether the company would expand the program—which offers Kaletra at $500/patient/year to 69 countries—to include the nearly 50 other “lower-middle” and “middle income” countries excluded from Abbott’s program but very much in need. Competitors Merck and Gilead both provide lower priced drugs to many more nations and the World Health Organization and UNAIDS have asked Abbott to follow suit by expanding the program to 117 countries. These nations include millions living on less than $2/day, and yet in places like Guatemala Kaletra costs over $5,000/patient/year, instead of the $500 price in Africa.

White seemed to publicly indicate a commitment to an expanded ACCESS program, saying that no country in need of access should be excluded—including middle-income countries facing high prices for Kaletra. The company’s actions, however, show the opposite, as company spokespeople later clarified that Abbott may not expand its ACCESS program as shareholders thought.

“Mr. White indicated he believes in ‘access’ for people in need of this drug,” said Kohan, “But apparently the company has no real plans to make this access meaningful by offering affordable prices to thousands in need but judged ‘not poor enough’ by Abbott. This hypocrisy will mean people needlessly die.”

On the more positive side, the company has finally publicly committed to request the FDA paperwork (A Certificate of Pharmaceutical Manufacture) that they would need to register Kaletra in Africa and the global South. “Since October they’ve had FDA approval and could have gotten the needed paperwork from the US to register in Africa,” said Sara Renn, SGAC grassroots action coordinator. “Instead of waiting for European approval, we look forward to them taking that step immediately to assure the drug becomes available.” Abbott today received positive opinion from European regulators, but are still 3 months from final approval. The company recently, after pressure, shipped registration materials to South Africa and announced a $500/patient/year price there.

Activists pledge to keep the pressure on White to turn his rhetoric of “access” into something meaningful by including thousands excluded from the company’s own “ACCESS” program. Todays protest, which included a coalition of students, medical students, doctors, AIDS activists, and others has pledged to make this a top priority in coming months.

Students in Baylor, Texas, delivered empty pill bottles to Abbott with an “empty pills, empty promises” theme, and members of the Student Global AIDS Campaign held similar protests and meetings Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Washington D.C. Students around the country faxed and called Mr. White today, joining in solidarity with activists holding events targeting Abbott in Nigeria, Thailand, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom.

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