Meanwhile, Merck's Presentation -- At J.P. Morgan Conference -- Will Be Protested, Tomorrow

Or, "The Tale of Two Pharma Companies". . .

While Vertex basks in the glow if its Telaprevir wins in San Francisco tomorrow, Merck's presentation will be picketed by AIDS patient-advocates -- per an EarthTimes feed, tonight:

. . . .AHF protestors will carry signs and banners stating “Shame on Merck” during the company’s presentation at the Healthcare Conference. “We’re here to let people know that Merck’s greed is causing great harm to people with HIV/AIDS,” said Jessie Gruttadauria, AHF Director of Public Affairs. “People are feeling the impact right now and lives are being put at risk. Hundreds of people have been denied access to their treatment because their state ADAP can no longer afford to provide it. These individuals now face a potentially fatal interruption in their treatment. This cannot continue. Merck needs to lower the price of Isentress immediately”. . . .

Merck’s current retail price (Average Wholesale Price) for Isentress is $12,868 per patient per year -- making it the most expensive of any antiretroviral (ARV) recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for first-line treatment. . . .

More background on this story's antecedents, here.

To be fair, here -- Merck is trying to support the developing-world's patent pools idea, but it is not doing enough here in the U.S., to put Isentress within reach of less-than-fabulously-wealthy (i.e., most) AIDS patients.