Should be against the law
At one time, diabetes was a death sentence.The researchers who discovered insulin sold the formulation for something like $5 as a gift for mankind almost a hundred years ago.
Look what's become of their discovery by greedy pharma.
jeep_daddy wrote:
I couldn't agree more. Fricken pharma greed is what it is. I bet you could get the same s**t in Canada for the old price.
The American Pharmaceutical Industry needs to be checked. Greed is the cause, not so much as supply and demand, as they claim. And, it's not just insulin. You're supposedly breaking the law too, if Americans order cheaper pharmaceuticals from Canada. Pharmaceuticals have been confiscated by customs officials. On mail orders from Canada. And you may be warned too.
It's all a crazy twisted game that feeds itself in a vicious circle. The only bright side is that the large Pharma's are shareholder corporations so their profits get distributed in share values.
Now, if you want to see what social medicine brings, take a look at Venezuela or Cuba. Free to the public...however there is no medicine available and both are in a state of medical crisis.
I'll bet if you packed the vials in with a load of heroin and meth....it would get across the borders no problem. The "cartels" do every day. Soon... sum dude on a bicycle with his pants falling off will be push'n "INs" along with the "illegal drugs".. (jus send your kids to the corner for a dimes worth of INs) God Bless America!
mas24 wrote:
The American Pharmaceutical Industry needs to be checked. Greed is the cause, not so much as supply and demand, as they claim. And, it's not just insulin. You're supposedly breaking the law too, if Americans order cheaper pharmaceuticals from Canada. Pharmaceuticals have been confiscated by customs officials. On mail orders from Canada. And you may be warned too.
I don't get any meds from Canada, but I've heard they are much cheaper there and have looked online to see if it's true and it seems to be.
jeep_daddy wrote:
I don't get any meds from Canada, but I've heard they are much cheaper there and have looked online to see if it's true and it seems to be.
I don't get meds online from Canada either. They are cheaper. Especially antibiotics. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, is going to Ontario, Canada, for a hernia operation. An injury he sustained from a disgruntled neighbor a year ago or so. I thought US Senators had the best of medical care insurance? He's paying out of pocket for the surgery. He claims $8500. He says is a bargain. The Canadians claim to be the best in the surgery he is requesting?
sippyjug104 wrote:
It's all a crazy twisted game that feeds itself in a vicious circle. The only bright side is that the large Pharma's are shareholder corporations so their profits get distributed in share values.
Now, if you want to see what social medicine brings, take a look at Venezuela or Cuba. Free to the public...however there is no medicine available and both are in a state of medical crisis.
Oh puleeeze, using Cuba and Venezuela as examples of "the evil of all evils" - "socialized medicine" - is ridiculous. Tell this to a Dane, a Norwegian, an Australian and a Canadian who get fine care. Our country? Uh, not so much with its capitalistic medical system unless you happen to have great coverage. Ours is so broken, it will likely never get fixed.
I will put in one (sorta) for the US Pharma Companies. It may not apply much to Humalog. I use Humalog - mine comes from Kaiser through my health plan from LA Unified School District (retiree) and Medicare Senior Advantage.
Development costs are way up - salaries, production costs etc. But esp development research and certification by FDA(plus periodic re-certification in some cases - change something and it has to be re-certified). Production facilities are regularly inspected, licensed etc. Research and testing for safety, research for new drugs or improvements etc are all expensive.
Here in the US this is especially expensive due to higher wages, costs, regulations etc. When the company sells that drug in another country the price is often controlled with no factoring in of US costs so they raise the price in places (US) where there is no price control. The same goes for drug companies in other countries - make up for low prices elsewhere by changing more in the US.
Do the companies try to max profits? - Yes
Does our government regulation and rules increase costs? - Yes
Does the higher production costs in the US factor in? - Yes
Do they add on some for research and development of new versions or totally new drugs? - Yes
And in many cases those who run the companies pay themselves vastly exaggerated salaries, benefits and perks.
So it is a complicated thing with blame being in more than one place.
Could the prices be a lot less if someone sat everyone down and they co-operated to lower all costs. - Yes
But the chances of that happening are very low. Unless the President or Congress gets behind it and requires it to be done - or else people start getting replaced until they find someone who can carry it out. Esp when you calculate in that the government (FDA and state versions of it) often can only change things by legislation to change laws in some cases and others through the bureaucracy and its regulations (which are far too many, far too large and change (esp getting rid of some) and resisted by the personnel who have their jobs and incomes tied into writing and maintaining those regulations (they have to justify their job, salary and perks).
And a lot of Law Firms make a very nice living off all this stuff, they don't want to see the system changed much either.
TriX
Loc: Raleigh, NC
We could start by letting Medicare negotiate drug costs in the same manner insurance companies do - they are prohibited by law from doing so. I find that nonsensical.
For generics, it’s worth comparing pricing between what you currently pay and pricing from GoodRX and Blink Health - it can be a very substantial savings, often better than your insurance copay, and you fill the prescription at a regular pharmacy - very painless.
I have actually ordered drugs from Canada many years ago, and after a year of success and saving lots of money, I had a package intercepted by customs and received a stern letter. Not sure what the current policy is.
Hal81
Loc: Bucks County, Pa.
Years ago I used to get my wife's meds from Canada till the pharm dropped a large deposit in DC and put a stop to it.
Tom467
Loc: North Central Florida
Check out the cost of Acthar, an old drug developed back in the early 1950s. Was once used for gout but also found to helps people with kidney disease. The last time I checked Acthar was $35,000.00 for 5cc.
How did he avoid the two-year waiting list?
Changing the law to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices is exactly what Trump is trying to do. And meeting tremendous resistance from many sides. But then if Trump were to advise people not to poop in their pants, his enemies would all be walking around with a load in theirs.
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