ABSTRACT
December 6, 2013, had the makings of a good day for Gilead Sciences, Inc. The United States Food and Drug Administration had just approved Sovaldi, a hepatitis C treatment, after a wildly successful trial program that saw more than 90 percent of patients cured. The groups demanded that Gilead price the drug close to the cost of production in low- and middle-income countries to ensure availability to the widest possible distribution of people within less economically fortunate nations. In 1979, Michael Riordan graduated with honors from Washington University with degrees in biology and chemical engineering. Gilead’s response to the various pressures it received generally included cooperation with all stakeholders, a willingness to work to lower the price within international markets, and the view that it had priced Sovaldi fairly within the US The news that Sovaldi had brought Gilead soaring profits was sure to further ignite public debate about the drug’s pricing, both domestically and abroad.
