FiercePharmaPolitics—Gilead CEO sees COVID-19 changing the drug pricing conversation

Welcome to the FiercePharma political roundup, where each Monday we’ll highlight developments in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere that could affect drug pricing and how drugmakers operate. With less than six months to go until the U.S. elections, the pharma industry finds itself in a different position than expected at the start of the year. While many predicted a tense year as candidates went on the attack, the pandemic has taken the spotlight. And instead of being an easy target, pharma companies have found a chance to shine. On Gilead Sciences' first-quarter conference call, Mizuho analyst Salim Syed pointed out that rhetoric around pharmaceuticals and drug pricing has been “pretty negative” in recent years. So, the analyst wondered aloud whether that has changed as Gilead and other drugmakers charge forward with potential COVID-19 therapies.