I am all for free enterprise, but that is sickening…

Hi A.L.

Given that all three groups of people* that you nominate could at some stage in the process have done far more to assist the ~180 million worldwide that are infected with this virus but have chosen not to, I guess I’m going to be an equal opportunity hater.

* and it is people who make these decisions, not some nebulous “market forces” that they like to blame.

You may have a point there, as breast cancer victims tend to be seen as innocent and some of them die from the disease while they are still politically attractive, whereas on the other hand, most HCV sufferers don’t die from the disease, tend to die later if they do, and in general, can put off being treated for quite some time with no ill effects. It also doesn’t help that most of them caught the disease through the stupidity of youth or criminality or ignorance (not the poor sods who got it from doctors, though), which earns the condition a hell of a lot less sympathy from the general public. It’s a bit like smoking in that way.

A further point is, as I have noted before, that certain drug treatments for other cancers and conditions run to prices at similar levels and higher to Gilead’s gouging. They are not alone in this game at all, and stand out partly because they were successful in their bet on a disease that potentially has a large market.

But your perception has a grain of truth in it. HCV is a drug users’ disease that is hard to market well, whereas breasts are easy to sell and very popular with their owners and close associates. People could very well respond more strongly if such treatment was similarly overpriced – although these days, the common person seems to be very content to act and vote against their own interests.

Who can say?

Speaking of boobs
If I compare my hideous experience on peginf which popped me into hospital and cost me my body weight I was covered in weeping sores lost 2/3 of my hair lost my mind and more developed rare reactive lymphocytes with abnormal morpholpgy developed severe neutropenia thrombocytopenia etc etc was pulled off at 43 weeks with potassium low enough to risk my heart well compare that where I told my immediate family ie siblings and mother who completely ignored me were repulsed and frankly rude, with if say I had announced early stage breast cancer I truly believe the hot meals would have arrived the cleaning would have been done etc
But no. I even had a serious house fire on peginf I was so sick and brain dead. I received no help cleaning up or with the replacement of the two rooms that burned.
I had a child in final year at school and another in uni.
A sibling was an IVDU for several years many moons ago but has nothing and was impeccably rude and cut me off.
I am not IVDU but have the disease who knows how I had three risk factors a procedure in a third world country, acupuncture, and manicure and pedicure.
I haven’t outted my story here like this before but the comments about boob cancer brought this out because it’s so goddam true I lived it in reality
I had a boob scare years earlier and it was resolved by a small half centimetre scar unseen now but oh the compassion the flowers the cards!
I don’t resent or take away the breast cancer journey in saying any of this trust me I have lost two very dear friends to that illness. But its a good point you make gentlemen.
I now do have benign masses in each breast since peginf which were not there before so I have them being watched. Mind you even mammograms are under suspicion here in Oz thanks to some European doc dissing them for “over diagnosis”
Can’t win!
Well I have officially gone slightly off topic and this defs qualifies for a
I haven’t had a for a looong time
I hope Gilead slip on my banana peel

Oh and my family members with the no hot meals and no care factor
Thank God for my divine two daughters one drove an hour and a half in happy tears just to hug and hold me when my UND came through from these miracle meds
Bless em the darlins

see this in the BMJ today
https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/financial-cycles-of-acquisitions-and-buybacks-threaten-public-access-to-breakthrough-drugs

Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth – Abraham Lincoln

But at least in the USA and much of the west it has perished.

There is one man, Dr, James Freeman, who is helping the afflicted. If I may be so bold to comment, I believe the world press is, for now assisting by the widespread coverage of your Redemption Trials and the results. So long as this does not result in a major impact to their earnings, big pharma will ignore it. You have political clout. If you were to be seriously attacked and threatened, there would be a political price to pay.

I know I will certainly be leading the charge against any politicians or companies trying to undermine you.