UNITED STATES
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20594


                                    SCHEDULE 13G

                      Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                                 (Amendment No. 2)*



                               Gilead Sciences, Inc.

                                  (Name of Issuer)

                                    Common Stock

                           (Title of Class of Securities)

                                     375558103

                                   (CUSIP Number)


     Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ]. (A
     fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous statement
     on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the
     class of securities described in Item 1: and (2) has filed no amendment
     subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less
     of such class.) (See Rule 13d-7).

     *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
     person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
     securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which
     would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

     The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
     deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
     that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the
     Act (however, see the Notes).

















     







      1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
          S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
          Capital Group International, Inc.
          95-4154357

      2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                         (a)

                                                                         (b)

      3   SEC USE ONLY




      4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

          California


                   5   SOLE VOTING POWER

                       650,210


                   6   SHARED VOTING POWER
      NUMBER OF
        SHARES
                       NONE
     BENEFICIALL
      Y OWNED BY
                   7   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
         EACH
      REPORTING
                       806,310
     PERSON WITH


                   8   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       NONE


      9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

          806,310   Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4


      10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*




      11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

          1.8%


      12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

          HC


                         *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT




     


                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                Washington, DC 20549

                                    Schedule 13G
                      Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

     Amendment No. 2

     Item 1(a)   Name of Issuer:
            Gilead Sciences, Inc.

     Item 1(b)   Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
            353 Lakeside Drive
            Foster City, California  94404

     Item 2(a)   Name of Person(s) Filing:
            Capital Group International, Inc.

     Item 2(b)   Address of Principal Business Office:
            11100 Santa Monica Blvd.
            Los Angeles, CA  90025

     Item 2(c)   Citizenship:   N/A

     Item 2(d)   Title of Class of Securities:
            Common Stock

     Item 2(e)   CUSIP Number:
            375558103

     Item 3   The person(s) filing is(are):

            (g)   [X]   Parent Holding Company in accordance with Section
                 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).

     Item 4   Ownership

            Capital Group International, Inc. is the parent holding company of
            a group of investment management companies that hold investment
            power and, in some cases, voting power over the securities reported
            in this Schedule 13G.  The investment management companies, which
            include a "bank" as defined in Section 3(a)6 of the Securities
            Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") and several investment advisers
            registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of
            1940, provide investment advisory and management services for their
            respective clients which include registered investment companies
            and institutional accounts.  Capital Group International, Inc. does
            not have investment power or voting power over any of the
            securities reported herein; however, Capital Group International,
            Inc. may be deemed to "beneficially own" such securities by virtue
            of Rule 13d-3 under the Act.



     Item 5   Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class: [X]

     Item 6   Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person: N/A





     CUSIP: 375558103                                                Page 3 of 4






     Item 7   Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
            the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company

            1.
               Capital Guardian Trust Company is a bank as defined in Section
               3(a)(6) of the Act and a wholly owned subsidiary of Capital Group
               International, Inc.

     Item 8   Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:  N/A

     Item 9   Notice of Dissolution of the Group:  N/A

     Item 10   Certification

            By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
            belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
            ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
            of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the
            control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
            connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such
            purpose or effect.

        Signature

            After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
            belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement
            is true, complete and correct.



             Date:          February 10, 2000 (For the period ended
                            December 31, 1999)


             Signature:     *David I. Fisher

             Name/Title:    David I. Fisher, Chairman

                            Capital Group International, Inc.




             *By

                    Michael J. Downer
                    Attorney-in-fact

                    Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 29,
                    1999 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the
                    Securities and Exchange Commission by Capital Group
                    International, Inc. on February 10, 2000 with respect to
                    Acclaim Entertainment, Inc