Tell Danaher it is time for $5

Table of Contents

Email templates

Call templates

Tips for Social Anxiety When Calling

International Contact Information

Australia/New Zealand

It’s been a year, @DanaherCorp. Now it’s time to show us the receipts! Please release the audit of your GeneXpert TB test by Oct 14th #TimeFor5

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As the poets say, "I was never told that I wasn't gonna get the things I want the most". What I want the most now is the audit @DanaherCorp promised a year ago, and they have until Oct 14 to deliver it #TimeFor5

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hit it like TB-TB-be-gone (Get it hot) get it hot like PizzaJohn (Make a test) make a test go on and on (It's a what) it's an auditinomenon! #TimeFor5

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Check out the TBFighters Graphics Library, which contains graphics made by MSF Access Campaign and graphics made by our community! Feel free to use them on any social media or communication tool. Alt text is provided. Please use it!

Template 1

Danaher—

I’m reaching out to you out of concern for the millions of people living with dangerous diseases who do not receive a diagnosis. Your GeneXpert machines can diagnose Ebola, HIV, extensively drug-resistant TB, hepatitis, and many common sexually transmitted infections, but they are out of reach to the people who need them most because of unreasonably high prices.

Independent research has shown that you can make a fair profit at $5 per test, which would allow governments and organizations to scale up testing. These tests currently cost $15-$20, which is too expensive for many who need them. Millions of people continue to die of treatable diseases and your tests could help change that.

In September of last year, you made a commitment to have the actual cost of your MTR/RIF Xpert cartridges validated with a third-party assessment, and to release these results publicly. Over a year later, this still has not happened. All research available continues to show that your tests are sold for far above the cost to produce them.

I urge you to show your commitment to putting people over profits by fulfilling your promise to annually audit TB test prices. I ask that you release the results of the audit by October 14th, 2024.

Regards,

[Name]

Template 2

Danaher Team,

I’m reaching out on behalf of the millions of people who have died in recent years from misdiagnosed HIV, Ebola, hepatitis, and countless other diseases, including multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. I was relieved to find out last year that you agreed to reduce the price of your lifesaving MTR/RIF Xpert cartridges, allowing people to have access to these lifesaving diagnoses.

Alongside this, you promised to fund an independent and publicly available audit of the production costs and profit margins for the MTR/RIF Xpert cartridges. A year later, this data still has not been disclosed. Independent analysis has shown that you could afford to price these tests at $5 while making a healthy profit, and yet you inexplicably price with a 60% to 300% markup at the expense of human lives.

I’m writing to compel you to release the results of this audit by October 14th, 2024. These tests are critical to the worldwide fight against tuberculosis, and I hope you will keep your word and do your part in that struggle. In the time that it took to compose this message, around 70 people died of TB. These deaths were preventable, and you can help prevent them.

Regards,

[Your name]

If you’re having trouble thinking of what to say when you call Danaher, here’s a template to help or use as a script!

You are unlikely to reach a real person, so when calling you can expect to be directed to leave a voicemail. But their voicemail still has to be monitored, so if enough of us call, they’ll know!

Who to call: US: +1-202-828-0850 UK: +44 (0) 1628 564 000

To help tell Danaher that people around the world care, you can find an international number here. It’s okay to call customer service, it will make it back to the people we need it to!

Remember to treat the call operators with kindness, they’re just doing their job.

Call Template:

Hello, my name is [name] and I'm calling about your GeneXpert machine. Xpert test cartridges are sold for $8-$20, even though all available information and independent evaluations have suggested they can be sold for $5 and still leave a fair profit margin. This pricing scheme blocks access and hinders the fight against these diseases, leading to unnecessary deaths.

Over a year ago, your company committed to funding an independent audit of the manufacturing prices for your MTB/RIF cartridges. Even though you promised that the results of this audit would be released publicly, it still hasn't happened.

I’m calling to ask that you do the right thing and release the results of an independent audit by October 14.

Thank you.

Tips for Social Anxiety When Calling

Your anxiety is real, and even if it's not logical to be afraid of calling you are, and no one can or should deny that.
It may be helpful to prepare a script to read directly from, or at least plan out what to say. It doesn't have to be as long as the one here.
What to expect

The 202 number usually directs you to leave a voicemail. Other numbers are most likely to be answered by an operator. If you don’t get directed to leave a voicemail, just try to get a person on the line, and politely leave your message with them.

If you have questions or need moral support, Nerdfighteria is happy to help <3
If you are too anxious to call, that's okay! There are other ways to engage and you should prioritize your mental health.