Given that I’m lucky enough to be in the UK, I have never had to hoard drugs. But with a possible ‘no deal’ Brexit coming…there may be hordes of us trying to hoard our medicinal supplies.
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Just to be clear, this bill isn’t aimed at big pharma, which generally refers to producers of patented drugs that were the result of expensive research and development, but instead is aimed at drug manufacturers who are colluding to fix prices on generic (not patented) drugs or those who are selling orphan drugs which nobody else wants to make (at exorbitant prices).
The Shkrelis of the world exploit a law which gives exclusivity (not patent protection) to the manufacturers of orphan drugs- drugs which have been around for a while and treat a disease or condition which very few people have. Orphan drugs are not appealing to big pharma because of the lack of ROI. However, Shkreli and others found a way to get appealing ROI based on jacking up prices and exploiting the exclusivity law (free market!).
Big pharma has its own issues, but this bill is not aimed at those types of companies, i.e., the ones who are developing drugs which are actually new.
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I’d get started now if I were you…
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For whatever it’s worth, my insurance company insisted that my doc switch me away from Lantus to one of three other formulations, even though I was having good results from it for years and years. We tried to get a waiver but the insurance company insisted that I try at least one for thirty days before they would allow me the privilege of paying three times what I had been before their arbitrary decision. After I realized the futility, we tried Basaglar, and lo and behold, I managed better blood sugar control with it, and have noticed better freshness at less than ideal storage conditions while traveling. I am still using it. I don’t know if you have looked into some other formulations. They’re not all bad.
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Yeah - but I’m not sure how I can do it, seeing as my GP will only prescribe three months’ supply at a time, and is almost certainly not going to encourage hoarding by giving me a longer supply (not even sure if they are allowed to) and I know how much it costs privately and that is NOT the way to go!
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You’re a ray of sunshine. Apologies for being blunt, but your comment is not constructive at all.
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How does your GP know how much you take every day?
If you can’t get Republicans to say yes to anything, at least keep forcing them to say no to things that reveal their cruelty and greed. ETA: Bonus points if it’s during the holiday season…
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My GP will prescribe a years worth. Its the insurance company that won’t pay for more than 30 days at a time.
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Because it is a prescribed drug with a prescribed dosage (calibrated to my weight and condition, as it happens).
To say nothing of how dumb I’d be to take any more or less than the prescribed dosage - as the drug either will not work fully or will cause real harm if I do that.
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OK, but my point is, how do they know how much a year’s worth is? Do you tell them what you need, or do they tell you? What about when your activity level goes up or down, don’t you need different amounts?
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In my case, its a blood pressure medication that has quite a few generic versions, so I’m lucky in that aspect. Can’t comment about others. Just not happy about insurance companies making life style or medical decisions that affect me, based on their cash flow issues.
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Well, given the recent massive price fixing case filed against generic drug makers, even having several makers of a drug is no guarantee of fair pricing…
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Not an entirely bad idea, but it has one fatal flaw: What one hand gives, the other can take away. It could be passed one year, only to be underfunded the next.
What is needed is something more akin to the US Postal Service, US Federal Reserve, or other government charters. Get the ball rolling with some funding under a charter, but otherwise make it self sufficient. All profits to be used for research and development of generics that meet certain criteria. Allow bonds to be sold for development of specific drugs to allow the public to contribute funding. Sever as many financial ties to the government as possible. Make it hard to kill.
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They do it for non-orphaned drugs too, on the rationale that the health of their constituents is more important than US copyright law.
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To quote Ronald Wilson Reagan:
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”
See also Socialism is evil, We’re not Europe, The pharmaceutical companies that I actually work for will fire my ass immediately.
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Could the Government just permit its citizens to buy these generic drugs from overseas suppliers?
Realism is seldom confused with Pollyannaism. Not sorry to be blunt.
No, the free market requires strict controls to protect the big guy!
Pharma Bro is free to jack up the price to whatever people (who will die without it) are willing to pay, but you’re not free to simply take your business elsewhere because … something … socialist … something.
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The only thing worse than godless Communism is godless Capitalism.
