Amgen Has Contributed

I would like to respond to the protest at Amgen by members of ACT/UP L.A. I believe the protesters should know how much Amgen has done for the community.

In recent months, Amgen has shown its concern for the service organization, AIDS Care, by allowing boxes for the collection of food by employees in their company. This food was then turned over to be used by clients of AIDS Care through the Daily Provisions Program.

In an ironic twist, the same day ACT/UP protested at Amgen, AIDS Care received a grant check from Amgen for several thousand dollars to help its clients purchase prescription medication.

In the articles I read regarding the protest, the overwhelming sentiment spoken by members of this militant organization was the fact that Amgen, no matter that it contributed freely, was not doing enough. Please allow me to state that Amgen is not bound by any rule to contribute anything. Its contributions to AIDS Care are welcomed by the Daily Provisions Committee, and we thank Amgen for what has so far been donated.

Further, we hope that this demonstration will not close the doors of communication that we have created with Amgen. We hope that the company will continue to be receptive when we contact them with requests for aid, as we will surely have to do, with numbers of new clients growing daily.

WILLIAM PAUL LOTHE

Chairman

Daily Provisions Program

AIDS Care

Ventura