Gilead Sciences appoints new health policy advisory board members

Gilead Sciences has announced the appointment of Lord Paul Boateng and Dr Hannah Kettler to its health policy advisory board.

Lord Boateng is a member of the UK's House of Lords and has held various ministerial posts, including that of chief secretary to the Treasury under prime minister Tony Blair, while Dr Kettler is the senior health programme officer and economist at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Both will bring unique expertise to the company that will aid its efforts to bring down barriers to better patient care quality, while improving access to innovative medicines.

The company's health policy advisory board was established in 2007 and is comprised of leading experts in their fields, who have been selected with the aim of providing external perspective and insight.

Gregg Alton, Gilead's executive vice-president for corporate and medical affairs, said: "We are grateful for the guidance provided by the health policy advisory board and enthusiastically welcome Lord Boateng and Dr Kettler as members."

Last month, the company welcomed news that the European Medicines Agency has accepted its pharmacoenhancing agent cobicistat for regulatory review.