Public Policy Engagement
Political Contributions
Gilead participates in the political process by contributing prudently to state and local candidates and political organizations when such contributions are permitted by state and local law. Generally, contributions are made to officeholders and candidates based on several criteria, including: policy positions that reflect the interests of Gilead, its employees or the communities it serves; representation of geographic area where Gilead’s employees and facilities are located; ability to be elected; and the need for financial assistance. Gilead’s priorities for making political expenditures with corporate funds include furthering public health policy and scientific and health innovation.
Requests for corporate political contributions are made by or to Gilead’s Government Affairs group, led by Michael Boyd, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy. Mr. Boyd and other members of the senior management team approve the corporate political contributions. Please note that political contributions are made without regard to private political preferences of the company officers and executives.
In the interest of transparency for our stockholders and other stakeholders, we are making available lists of our political contributions and contributions to trade associations. These lists will be updated and posted to this website semi-annually. The information will also be provided to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board.
Direct corporate contributions to federal candidates and national political party committees are prohibited by law. As a result, we do not make such contributions with corporate funds. Contributions to federal candidates and committees are made by the Gilead Sciences Inc. Healthcare Policy PAC, a federally-registered political committee that accepts contributions from eligible Gilead employees on a voluntary basis.
In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the use of corporate funds to make independent expenditures on behalf of candidates is permissible. We have not made and do not plan to make any independent expenditures on behalf of federal, state, or local candidates in the future. If our position on making independent expenditures changes, that declaration would be made on this website and such activities (including recipient names and amounts given) would be disclosed here.
In certain states, corporations are permitted to contribute on the state and local level. We have made contributions on the state and local level where permissible. Click on the link below to view reports of Gilead's corporate contributions to state and local political candidates, political parties, political committees, ballot initiatives, and other political organizations established under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code.
January – June 2022 Corporate Political Contributions
Click on the link below to view a list of trade organizations to which Gilead pays more than $25,000 in membership dues or other payments, and to the extent available to us, the portion of those payments that were used for activities that are not deductible under Chapter 162(e) of the Internal Revenue Code.
January – June 2022 Non-Deductible Portion of Payments to Trade Associations
Examples of trade associations of which Gilead is a member include; Biotechnology Industry Organization and California Life Sciences Association. Gilead's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee reviews the company's political expenditure policies and confirms that all political expenditures are consistent with the company's policies on a quarterly basis. The Nominating and Governance Committee also reviews all payments to trade associations. In addition, outside counsel will provide a periodic review of Gilead's political activity.
Political Contributions Archive
Historical records of our political contributions are available.
Engagement with Government Officials
Gilead lobbies at the federal and state levels to educate government officials on the issues that matter to our company and the patients we serve.
At the federal level, Gilead is a lobbying registrant pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act. As a lobbying registrant, Gilead files quarterly reports with the U.S. Congress that include a good faith estimate of Gilead's total lobbying expenditures during the quarter and that list the issues and agencies it lobbied during the period. Gilead's quarterly lobbying reports are publicly available here. In 2021, Gilead's reported good faith estimate of expenses for federal lobbying activities was $8,180,000. This figure includes compensation and benefits paid to employees engaged in lobbying activities, payments to outside lobbying firms, lobbying-related expenses, and the portion of trade association dues paid by Gilead that are attributable to lobbying.
As reflected in Gilead's lobbying reports, Gilead has educated policymakers regarding the following issues, among others: international trade and protection of intellectual property, drug pricing proposals, expanding access to HIV treatment and prevention therapies, hepatitis C screening and linkage to care programs, coverage and reimbursement policies, clinical trial diversity, COVID-19 treatments, Medicaid and Medicare coverage, oncology products, value-based purchasing arrangements, public health appropriations, and corporate tax rates and related laws.
At the state level, Gilead complies with state lobbying registration and reporting requirements. A chart with links to public lobbying reports filed by Gilead at the state level, in the states where Gilead is registered as a lobbying principal or where Gilead employees were registered lobbyists as of Jan. 1, 2021 is available here.
Gilead also engages in lobbying activities in countries outside the United States. Information about Gilead's lobbying activities outside the United States is available in this chart.