Mason  🏃‍♂️ ✂️

I think I need to clarify: on a global scale the percentage of the 1.7m new infections that were people to whom the drug was available but decided not to take it is statistically small. The overwhelming number percentage of new infections are people who cannot get the drug.

I am also deeply offended that you think I don't care about HIV, but you don't know me, so I'm sure it's an honest misunderstanding.

I think it's obvious (given the comments re: Medicare) that Mike's coming from a US perspective. Maybe that's a fair criticism. But pointing out problems beyond drug pricing (info siloing, bad norms re: risk, etc.) does not make him the enemy. We have GOT to be collaborative here

*Medicaid

The point of my original critique was that Mike was approaching HIV as if the US was the only country where it was happening, when (as I'm sure you're aware) the vast majority of infections are elsewhere, where his assumptions about affordability didn't apply.

Specifically his statement "people aren't being infected with HIV because they can't afford this drug" when in fact affordability is, globally, the biggest reason they are.

I agree that this isn't accurate when considering the global population. I just think it's horrifically irresponsible to fail to acknowledge the thrust of his argument, which is that numerous other (hopefully tractable) problems are preventing widespread domestic use.

I think we are now on the same page.