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GILEAD SCIENCES PROVIDES GRANT TO AID FOR AIDS INTERNATIONAL TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HIV TREATMENT IN VENEZUELA
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July 23, 2018 - Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that it will grant $1 million to AID for AIDS International (AFA) to help bring life-saving antiretroviral therapy to more than 18,000 Venezuelans living with HIV. Gilead's grant will enable AFA to procure high-quality, low-cost generic medicines for people living with HIV whose access to treatment has been affected by the country's health and humanitarian crisis.
"People living with HIV are particularly vulnerable to interruptions in health services, because a daily treatment regimen is critical to keeping the virus suppressed," said Clifford Samuel, Senior Vice President, Access Operations & Emerging Markets, Gilead Sciences. "We are proud to support AID for AIDS International in meeting the urgent needs of people living with HIV in Venezuela."
AFA estimates that as many as 70,000 Venezuelans living with HIV currently lack access to treatment and that stock-outs of HIV antiretroviral therapies have been occurring regularly for more than a year. With Gilead's support, AFA will provide treatment to 18,200 individuals through the national HIV program. In addition, AFA will use a small portion of Gilead's grant to strengthen HIV treatment distribution, monitor the supply chain and support civil society networks.
"We are pleased to collaborate with Gilead on this important work," said Jesus Aguais, Founder and Executive Director, AID for AIDS International. "We hope this initiative will bring renewed attention to the critical challenges facing people living with HIV in Venezuela."
This work is part of Gilead's effort to provide sustainable access to high-quality, low-cost therapies for HIV, viral hepatitis and visceral leishmaniasis for millions of people in more than 135 developing countries. 2018 marks 15 years since Gilead began treatment access initiatives in developing countries. Today, 11.5 million people in low- and middle-incomes countries take Gilead HIV medicines provided by Gilead or one of the company's generic manufacturing partners. Recognizing that more action is needed to end AIDS, Gilead continues to build partnerships to strengthen the global HIV response and to invest in R&D that may improve HIV treatment and prevention options - including research towards the ultimate goal of a potential cure.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.
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