Gilead Sciences
Ensuring Every Patient Can Access the Information They Need to Make Informed Treatment Decisions
-
WCAG 2.1 AA
Compliance Achieved
-
Branded Site
Pharma Marketing Website
-
Real Users
Tested with Disabled Testers
The Challenge
Gilead Sciences is a global biopharmaceutical company with a mission to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to patients with life-threatening conditions.
Gilead Sciences is a global biopharmaceutical company with a mission to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to patients with life-threatening conditions. Their branded pharmaceutical marketing websites are a primary touchpoint for patients and caregivers seeking information about treatment options — making accessibility not just a legal obligation, but a patient equity imperative.
When Gilead's digital team evaluated one of their branded pharmaceutical websites against WCAG 2.1 AA standards, the findings were clear: patients and caregivers relying on screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, or other assistive technologies were encountering barriers to the very health information they came to the site to find. For a company whose mission centers on improving patient lives, an inaccessible treatment website was a direct contradiction of purpose.
With ADA Title III litigation targeting pharmaceutical digital properties on the rise, and with the genuine patient equity stakes of inaccessible health information, Gilead needed a partner who could deliver rigorous human-led remediation — and verify that it worked for real people.
The Inclusive Web Solution
Inclusive Web conducted a comprehensive human-led WCAG 2.1 AA audit of Gilead's branded pharmaceutical marketing website, evaluating every patient- and caregiver-facing user flow — from treatment information and safety data to support resources and healthcare provider locators.
Our team developed a prioritized remediation roadmap aligned to patient impact and legal risk, worked directly with Gilead's web team through the fix process, and verified every resolved issue before sign-off. The engagement concluded with real-user testing — confirming that the remediated experience genuinely works for patients and caregivers who rely on assistive technologies.
Human-led WCAG 2.1 AA audit of the full branded pharmaceutical marketing website
Patient and caregiver journey audit — treatment information, safety data, support resources, and HCP locator flows
Accessibility review of complex pharmaceutical content components — safety information disclosures, modals, and dynamic content
Prioritized remediation roadmap by patient impact and ADA legal risk
Developer-ready remediation guidance with specificity appropriate to the site's technical architecture
Fix verification — every resolved issue confirmed working before sign-off
Real-user testing with testers who identify as disabled, validating the patient and caregiver experience using screen readers, keyboard navigation, and voice control
Ongoing accessibility monitoring to maintain compliance as safety information, campaign content, and site features are updated
Real-User Accessibility Testing — When Health Information Must Be Accessible to All
Inclusive Web validated Gilead Sciences's branded pharmaceutical website with testers who identify as disabled and rely on assistive technologies daily — including screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver), keyboard-only navigation, and voice control. In healthcare, this means ensuring that patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals who need information about a treatment can access it fully and independently — regardless of ability.
The Result
WCAG 2.1 AA compliance achieved across the Gilead branded pharmaceutical marketing website
All patient and caregiver-facing content — including treatment information, safety data, and support resources — accessible to users relying on assistive technologies
Complex pharmaceutical content components, including safety disclosures and dynamic information modules, made fully accessible
ADA Title III legal exposure substantially reduced
Real-user testing confirmed that patients and caregivers with disabilities can access treatment information with full independence
The digital presence of America's most iconic symbols of welcome now lives up to the promise those monuments represent — accessible to every visitor from every background and every ability
Ongoing monitoring in place to maintain compliance through regulatory content updates and campaign refreshes
"Our mission is to improve the lives of patients. That mission has to extend to our digital properties — every patient and caregiver who visits our website deserves to find the information they're looking for. Inclusive Web made sure they can."
Director of Digital Strategy, Gilead Sciences
Services Delivered
WCAG 2.1 AA Audit (Branded Pharma Website)
Remediation Verification
Patient & Caregiver Journey Audit
Real-User Usability Testing
Pharmaceutical Content Accessibility Review
Ongoing Accessibility Monitoring
Compliance & Regulatory Drivers
Federal obligations and public expectations that made this work essential.
ADA Title III Legal Risk Mitigation
WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance
Patient Equity & Access Mission
Pharmaceutical Digital Property Compliance
Is your branded pharmaceutical website accessible to every patient who needs it?
Inclusive Web helps pharmaceutical and healthcare companies ensure their branded digital properties are accessible to every patient, caregiver, and healthcare professional who depends on them.