AIDS advocates disrupt U.S. Conference on AIDS to say:

“Gilead is the 1%”

By Christina McEwen

Chicago, IL – This morning, dozens of AIDS advocates peacefully disrupted the U.S. Conference on AIDS (USCA) with a protest aimed at drug company Gilead Science Inc.  Carrying signs that said “Occupy Gilead” while chanting: “Gilead is the 1%,” the group surrounded one of Gilead’s conference booths, circling it with red ribbon.

Some of the protestors, led by AIDS Healthcare Foundation, also wore masks of Gilead CEO Johns Martin’s face while shouting “John Martin, you think twice: Atripla, ower the price.” 

More than 6,500 Americans are on waiting lists to received lifesaving AIDS medicines because state programs cannot afford the high price of AIDS drugs. Gilead’s oft-prescribed drug Atripla is at the top of the unaffordable list, priced at $10,000 per patient per year.

While thousands of Americans wait to see if they will get the lifesaving medicines they need, Gilead CEO John Martin makes $42 million, making him the 7th highest paid executive in the nation.