Letters Archives – Page 2 of 10 – Treatment Action Group

Comments to NIH Leadership Regarding the Proposed Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health

August 5, 2021
Dorrit Walsh

In response to the Biden administration's intention to create a new research agency under the NIH called the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), TAG and AVAC were invited to present remarks and guidance on the behalf of the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership and Research Work Group (RWG).

TAG Testimonies on Funding Priorities FY22 to Senate LHHS and Related Agencies

July 9, 2021
Dorrit Walsh

On June 24, TAG submitted testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies outlining funding priorities for fiscal year 2022.

TAG Comments on NIST’s Proposed Rulemaking Changes

April 4, 2021
Dorrit Walsh

TAG submitted comments in response to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) proposed change to rulemaking, strongly opposing amendments to remove crucial public health safeguards from the Bayh-Dole Act. March-in rights and other provisions to hold manufacturers accountable when federally funded inventions are exorbitantly priced and are critically important to public health and the right to science.

Civil Society Letter to Donors, Countries, and Health Actors to Improve Access to GeneXpert and Other Diagnostics

April 1, 2021
Dorrit Walsh

TAG led an open letter appealing to donors, countries, and health actors to improve access to GeneXpert and other diagnostics for COVID-19, TB, HIV, HBV, HCV, and other diseases by applying collective leverage in negotiations with Cepheid for lower prices and sufficient volumes; establishing cost-of-goods-sold (COGS)-plus and volume-based pricing for diagnostics as a global norm; and increasing investments in alternative rapid molecular tests to promote competition and improve access.

Letters from TB Roundtable for Domestic and Global Appropriators, FY22

March 25, 2021
Dorrit Walsh

In March of 2021, the Tuberculosis Roundtable, of which TAG is a member organization, recently submitted letters to Congressional appropriators in support of increased funding for domestic and global TB programs for the 2022 fiscal year.

Civil Society Letter to Cepheid Requesting Lower Prices for Xpert SARS-CoV-2 Tests and Increased Volumes Distributed to LMICs

February 25, 2021
Dorrit Walsh

February 25, 2021 — TAG signed onto this letter requesting that diagnostics company Cepheid increase access to Xpert SARS-CoV-2 tests in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by committing a greater proportion of its SARS-CoV-2 test manufacturing capacity to LMICs and…

Open Letter: Urgent Action Necessary to Improve Equitable Access to GeneXpert TB Diagnostics and Achieve 1/4/6×24

February 2, 2021
Dorrit Walsh

A coalition of civil society activists, including TAG, public health leaders, and researchers sent this letter with information about the 1/4/6x24 Campaign...

Letter to Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights

November 9, 2020
Dorrit Walsh

Our current letter follows an earlier letter dated June 23, 2020 and calls on the Special Rapporteur for cultural rights to explicitly acknowledge the human rights dimensions of science and reaffirm the right of everyone to participate in and enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications in her forthcoming communication with the United Nations General Assembly on COVID-19.

Treatment Action Group Comments for the FDA Advisory Committee Meeting on COVID-19 Vaccines

October 20, 2020
Dorrit Walsh

TAG's comments and recommendations to the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, encompassing a broad range of community concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccine development and regulatory review.

Letter to Sanofi CEO Calling for Patent Withdrawals on Critical TB Drugs

August 3, 2020
Dorrit Walsh

TAG and our French partners OTMeds (Observatoire de la transparence dans les politiques du médicaments) sent a letter to Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson calling on the company to reverse its efforts to patent two obvious combinations of two critical drugs to prevent tuberculosis: rifapentine and isoniazid.