Promoting Informed Decision Making for Better Health
Gilead prioritizes health education and literacy as they drive better healthcare outcomes and enable people to make more informed health decisions for themselves and the people they love. We strive to provide valuable information in a clear and transparent manner.
We also encourage patients and consumers to be more involved in their own healthcare, to learn more about their health and ask the right questions.
Understanding Counterfeiting
Counterfeits are intentionally designed to look like genuine medicine, often replicating the packaging, branding and even the physical appearance of authentic products. False representations are used to deceive buyers and patients into believing counterfeits are safe and effective medicines.
These illicitly traded medicines may cause serious and life-threatening health risks for patients. They often do not contain the correct compounds or levels of active ingredient and may contain impurities. Their proliferation can contribute to the emergence of drug resistance, exacerbate outbreaks of infectious diseases and undermine efforts to control epidemics.
In Hong Kong, the law requires all medicines (pharmaceutical products) to be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong (PPB) prior to sale in the market. Upon registration, the medicine will be given a registration number (consisting of HK-, followed by a 5-digit number) by the PPB, which is required to be printed on the medicine label.
View the list of Gilead’s pharmaceutical products and their registration number in Hong Kong
Consultation Tips: Asking the Right Questions
Finding out that you or your loved one has been infected by viral hepatitis and/or HIV can be difficult. It helps to be prepared ahead of every consultation with the doctor and take an active role in your own healthcare management or for your loved one.
Below are some important questions you can – and should, ask your physician in your next consultation.
For People Living with HIV
- What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?
- How often should I check my viral load?
- How do I ensure I do not pass my infection to someone else?
- How do I prevent complications such as opportunistic infections and what are the signs of the latter?
- What does “U=U” mean for people living with HIV?
- What kind of side effects can I expect for medications?
- What lifestyle changes should I make to maintain my quality of life?
You may also download the app “My Care Diary" which can facilitate your self-management of HIV.
For People Living with Viral Hepatitis
- How did I get hepatitis B/C?
- What kind of hepatitis infection do I have: acute or chronic?
- Is hepatitis B/C curable?
- How do I ensure I do not pass my infection to someone else?
- How does hepatitis B/C affect my liver?
- Which tests can I do to determine if my liver is healthy?
- How often should I screen for liver cancer?
- What lifestyle changes should I make to maintain my quality of life?