Medecins sans frontieres
Lives over profits
© Wendy Marijnissen
"How many more people have to die?"
— Nandita Venkatesen, tuberculosis survivor
For Nandita and many others living with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), a breakthrough drug called bedaquiline has meant the difference between life and death. Without access to bedaquiline, antiquated treatments for DR-TB can mean devastating side effects for TB survivors — Nandita lost her hearing after intensive treatment for her illness, including surgeries and daily injections. For half of those receiving treatment, this disease still remains a death sentence.
Johnson & Johnson, the pharmaceutical company who owns the patent for bedaquiline, is charging grossly inflated prices for it, keeping this lifesaving medicine out of the hands of those who need it. That’s why Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is demanding that Johnson & Johnson lower the price of bedaquiline to $1/day.
Help us save lives by making this drug affordable for everyone, now.
An estimated 558,000 people developed drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in 2017, but only 25 percent of those people were treated.
© Jelle Krings
After years of negotiating with Johnson & Johnson, MSF has launched a global campaign to demand that the company reduce the price of bedaquiline. To make that happen, we need to speak out against companies who put profits over the lives of hundreds of thousands of people living with drug-resistant TB.
“Bedaquiline saved my life. I was experiencing a lot of side effects during my previous treatment which included drugs that need to be injected,” said Noludwe Mabandlela, a DR-TB survivor. “After switching to bedaquiline, my health improved much faster.” Now, Noludwe is advocating alongside MSF for others to have the same chance at healing that she did.
Join the MSF community to say that together we will not stay silent and we will not leave anyone behind.
Sign our petition now.
"If there's a treatment out there that could save your life, you should have access to it."
— Dr. Jenny Hughes, MSF physician
In 2018, MSF provided TB treatment to 19,400 patients, including 2,840 patients with DR-TB. But many more people are still waiting. Bedaquiline should belong to the people who need it, not to profit-seeking companies like Johnson & Johnson. We will not back down until those who need bedaquiline have access to it. Hundreds of thousands of lives every year depend on it.
Take action with us.
© Nora Teylouni
Join us now
Tell Johnson & Johnson to make bedaquiline $1/day