Time for $5 Coalition Urges Cepheid to Reinstate Plans to Launch GeneXpert Omni
October 14, 2021 — The civil society Time for $5 Coalition calls out Cepheid for canceling commercialization of the portable point-of-care GeneXpert Omni testing instrument and urges the company to reinstate plans to launch Omni.

Comments to NIH Leadership Regarding the Proposed Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
August 5, 2021 — 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
June 24, 2021 — 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.

Letter Demanding Unitaid Hepatitis Advocacy
June 7, 2021 — Letter from TAG and other CSOs and NGOs to the Unitaid Executive Board demanding that Unitaid continue to invest in curing hepatitis C, and treating hepatitis B, as well as harm reduction.

Civil Society Letter to New WTO Director General: Access to COVID-19 Medical Products
April 13, 2021 — TAG joined over 200 other civil society signatories in calling for Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, incoming Director General of the World Trade Organization, to move away from interventions to scale up global vaccine supplies for COVID-19 that emphasize biopharmaceutical control of vaccine production and eschew public transparency.

Research Working Group of FAPP RFI Response: Suggestions for Strengthening Racial Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
April 9, 2021 — The Research Working Group of the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership recently responded to an NIH Request for information (RFI) with recommendations for increasing diversity among funding award applicants and recipients. Recommendations included a call for increased partnerships with institutions primarily serving people of color, and several other suggestions.

TAG Comments on NIST’s Proposed Rulemaking Changes
April 4, 2021 — 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 — 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 — 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.

Letter to President Biden Urging Nomination of U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator
March 16, 2021 — TAG is one of the organizations that signed onto this letter urging President Biden to quickly nominate a U.S. global AIDS coordinator along with a U.S. special representative for global health diplomacy. They’re also requesting that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), remain within the State Department.