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The mpox outbreak continues to rage across East, West, and Central Africa. There have been tens of thousands of suspected cases, with hundreds more in recent weeks. Alarmingly, the U.S. and Britain have also recently reported their first cases of a new variant that is more contagious and deadly than what we’ve seen before. Public health officials in Africa must act quickly to contain the outbreak. But without access to affordable and widespread testing, tracking and controlling the spread of mpox is extremely difficult. Many affected countries rely on GeneXpert tests to detect and track mpox. But the manufacturer, Cepheid, and its parent company, Danaher, are charging more than four times the estimated cost of production for the tests. They’re simply too expensive for these countries to afford. This isn’t the first time Cepheid has overcharged for important tests. Last year, thanks to pressure from activists, the company reduced the price of its standard tuberculosis test from $9.98 to $7.97 each. And while its mpox test costs around $20 now, an independent analysis commissioned by Doctors Without Borders suggests that Cepheid could sell all of its tests for as little as $5 each while still making a small profit. We know Cepheid can lower the price of its mpox test and get more tests into the hands of more health workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Uganda — especially since the company has lowered test prices in the past! But Cepheid only lowered prices in response to pressure from concerned people all around the world. To help contain the mpox outbreak and prevent further spread, we must put pressure on Cepheid and demand urgent action. Thanks for taking action, George |
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Public Citizen |
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