Neglected & Emerging Viruses and Pandemic Preparedness – Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences’ Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals in Global Health

A Strategic Vision for Global Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness

Gilead Sciences has articulated a strategic vision focused on developing countermeasures against emerging viral threats to prevent future global health crises. This vision aims to establish a resilient framework for comprehensive worldwide protection and preparedness, thereby contributing significantly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The core objective is to safeguard global health and establish new standards in pandemic readiness, directly aligning with Target 3.d to strengthen the capacity for early warning, risk reduction, and management of national and global health risks.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The framework is grounded in principles of global collaboration, promoting the multi-stakeholder partnerships necessary to achieve sustainable health outcomes.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): A foundational component of the vision is ensuring equitable access to countermeasures, which addresses health disparities between and within countries.

A Legacy of Innovation in Combating Viral Diseases

For over three decades, Gilead’s scientific innovations have had a measurable impact on global health targets, reflecting a sustained commitment to achieving SDG 3.

1. Hepatitis C, B, and D: The company has advanced global health by delivering a cure for hepatitis C, transforming the management of hepatitis B, and introducing the first treatment for hepatitis D in multiple regions. These achievements directly support SDG Target 3.3, which calls for dedicated action to combat hepatitis.
2. HIV/AIDS: The introduction of the first single-tablet treatment regimen for HIV represented a significant milestone in simplifying treatment and advancing progress toward ending the AIDS epidemic, as outlined in SDG Target 3.3.
3. COVID-19: During the recent global pandemic, Gilead mobilized to deliver the first approved antiviral treatment. The subsequent rapid scaling of global access demonstrated a commitment to both SDG 3, by addressing a global health emergency, and SDG 10, by working to mitigate health inequalities through broader access to treatment.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Explanation: The article’s primary focus is on combating viral diseases and ensuring global health security. It explicitly mentions Gilead’s work on treatments for HIV, hepatitis C, B, and D, and its rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The vision to “safeguard global health” and prepare for “emerging viral threats” directly aligns with the core mission of SDG 3, which is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
2. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Explanation: The article emphasizes the importance of a collective approach to global health challenges. The vision is “grounded in science, collaboration and equitable access” and aims for preparedness on a “worldwide scale.” This highlights the necessity of multi-stakeholder partnerships—involving private sector entities like Gilead, governments, and international organizations—to achieve global health goals, which is the essence of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.3: End epidemics of communicable diseases
   • Explanation: The text directly references Gilead’s history of developing treatments that “helped change the course of viral disease.” It cites specific achievements such as “a cure for hepatitis C,” transforming the management of “hepatitis B,” bringing the first treatment for “hepatitis D,” and introducing the “first single-tablet treatment regimen for HIV.” These actions are direct contributions to the target of ending the epidemics of AIDS and combating hepatitis.
2. Target 3.d: Strengthen capacity for early warning and management of global health risks
   • Explanation: The article’s vision is to be “equipped with countermeasures against emerging viral threats before they escalate into global crises.” The goal of building a “resilient framework that offers comprehensive protection and preparedness on a worldwide scale” and setting “new standards in pandemic readiness” directly corresponds to strengthening the capacity to manage global health risks, as outlined in this target. The rapid mobilization to deliver a treatment for COVID-19 is presented as a real-world example of this capacity.
3. Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development
   • Explanation: The article’s vision is described as being “grounded in… collaboration and equitable access” on a “worldwide scale.” This implies a commitment to working with global partners to share knowledge and technology. The effort to “rapidly scaled global access” for its COVID-19 treatment demonstrates the mobilization of partnerships to support health goals in all countries.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Implied Indicators for Target 3.3
   • Development of new treatments: The article lists several “firsts” as measures of its impact: “a cure for hepatitis C,” “the first treatment for hepatitis D,” “the first single-tablet treatment regimen for HIV,” and “the first approved antiviral treatment for [COVID-19].” The number and efficacy of new treatments developed for communicable diseases serve as a clear, implied indicator of progress.
   • Global access to medicines: The phrase “rapidly scaled global access” in the context of the COVID-19 treatment implies that the reach and availability of essential medicines on a global scale is a key metric for success.
2. Implied Indicators for Target 3.d
   • Response time to new health threats: The statement that Gilead “mobilized at speed to deliver the first approved antiviral treatment” for COVID-19 suggests that the time taken to develop and deploy countermeasures for emerging diseases is a critical indicator of pandemic readiness.
   • Establishment of preparedness frameworks: The goal to “build a resilient framework” and “set new standards in pandemic readiness” implies that the existence and robustness of such frameworks are a measure of progress toward strengthening global health security.

Summary of Findings

Source: gilead.com