Melissa Barber Profile picture
Postdoc @YaleLawSch @YaleMed researching econ, law, & medicines she/her• 🇺🇸🇬🇧🏳️‍🌈 Past lives @Harvard @PORTAL_Research @FXBHarvard @WHO @MSF @GlobalFund

Jun 1, 2022, 12 tweets

Are you a pharma company who just put up a 🏳️‍🌈logo but have not yet announced meaningful efforts to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people?

To help you really celebrate this #PrideMonth #Pride2022 right here's a🧵of some actionable ideas you can implement this month. (1/11)

Sky high prices for insulin mean that people are rationing and dying because they cannot afford it.
-jamanetwork.com/journals/jamai…
-t1international.com/access-survey/

LGBTQ+ ppl are disproportionately affected bc discrimination-> poverty + job discrimination
williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/l… (2/11)

1 in 4 teens are forced to leave home after coming out.

Many ppl under 26 are on their parents' health insurance, making coming out even scarier than it already is bc it might mean that you need to find new insurance fast- not easy & $ in the USA (3/11)

lesley.edu/article/the-co…

In honor of this #PrideMonth, would love to see @LillyPad @sanofi @novonordisk commit to:

1) redirecting lobbying $ spent on protecting insulin markets to instead pushing for #MedicareForAll

2) lower insulin prices to $35/vial for insulin (that's a price cap, not co-pay) (4/11)

Let's move on to @ViiVHC.

I'm not sure what charging $22k/year for HIV prevention drugs that cost $20/year to make is, but it's not being an ally.

Nevertheless,👍for reversing a bad decision to not license long-acting injectable cabotegravir for HIV to
@MedsPatentPool (5/11)

Looking forward to seeing a licensing deal announced asap @ViiVHC
statnews.com/pharmalot/2022…

If you really want to earn the 🏳️‍🌈on your twitter banner, commit to not enforcing patents in LMICs, lowering prices in HICs, & ensuring robust access plans for those w/o insurance (6/11)

.@abbvie: No specific asks here, just want to encourage folks to read the '21 House Cmte on Oversight + Reform report (excerpts below)

tldr: Questionably legal practices-> $19bn costs to US healthcare

Maybe put some of that $19bn to good use (7/11)

oversight.house.gov/sites/democrat…

.@GileadSciences: Your portfolio includes a significant number of drugs essential for treating HIV and HCV, diseases the disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ people.

This is not how you end an epidemic: statnews.com/pharmalot/2020… nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-he…

Do better. (8/11)

.@moderna_tx: Your vax was funded by the public ($10bn)

Stop standing in the way of global vax equity & share IP w/the @WHO mRNA Tech Transfer Hub + anyone else that needs it

Let's not have another year of virtual #Pride bc the pandemic rages on
devex.com/news/moderna-s… (9/11)

You too, @pfizer and @MSDintheUK.

Nice job licensing your antivirals to the @MedsPatentPool but you forgot a few countries. (PS Pfizer you also forgot your vax.)

Let's get that sorted this month, ok? (10/11)

LGBTQ+ people have done incredible work in the fight to demand accountability & expand access to medicines. But there's still a long way to go.

Thanks for logos, but looking forward to hearing meaningful pledges worthy of #PrideMonth.

Drop any further suggestions ⤵️ (11/11)

(excerpts)

Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.

A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.

Keep scrolling