Monday, March 17, 2003

AN ARM AND A LEG SENT TO ROCHE

March 17, 2003

Franz Humer
Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.
340 Kingsland Street
Nutley, New Jersey 07110


Dear Mr. Humer:

I am deeply concerned about the high price you are charging for the newest
AIDS drug Fuzeon.

For many AIDS patients, myself included, the cost of this drug will
symbolically be an arm and a leg.

Whether paid for through private insurance or the AIDS Drug Assistance
Program, your exorbitant price for Fuzeon will bankrupt many people and
government run drug assistance programs.

You will notice that I've sent you an arm and a leg with this letter. They
are plastics parts I removed from my Gay Billy doll, so I could send them to
you to protest Roche's sky-high price tag for Fuzeon.

Friends of mine will also be mailing you arms and legs from other dolls, as
part of a grassroots effort to force Roche to immediately reduce the price of
Fuzeon.

We have a palpable fear that your success in charging so much for Fuzeon
will set off blatant pricing envy among other drug manufacturers, driving
pricing even higher.

We may have to send many plastic arms and legs to you and the heads of other
drug firms to show you how damaging and potentially deadly the price of
Fuzeon and other AIDS medications are to people with HIV/AIDS.

Please do the right thing, and lower the price on Fuzeon, so more people with
AIDS can take it.

Regards,
Michael Petrelis
2215-R Market Street, #413
San Francisco, CA 94114

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