Posted on 08/29/2011 7:39:56 AM PDT by Marty62
“elites always make the mistake that what effects the great unwashed masses will NEVER touch them. WRONG”
Well said
You have some of your facts mixed up, I believe.
A company gets about 20 years' worth of exclusivity on a compound--but the clock starts ticking upon the initial filing of the patent, not when the drug is launched for prescribing in a particular country. This greatly reduces the time a company can earn their R&D costs back.
A line extension (effectively, an extension on the patent life), can only occur in certain circumstances. The reason for extension has to be siginifcant: The company holding the patent has to have data to support a new indication (and the FDA or approving body if OUS must approve it so.) A change in flavoring, for example, wouldn't be significant enough to extend patent life.
The company holding the patent could also apply for an extension for a new method of use--say for example, an inhaled insulin vs. an injected insulin.
In any case, a company holding a patent is not at all obligated to "grant" access to a product. There would be no benefit at all to the holding company, to have a generic company make drugs during a valid patent life. Generally when a patent expires, the drop-off in sales of a brand drug to a generic form is steep. When that happens, it's generally in the best interest of the company holding the patent to simply stop making the drug.
Also, to your point about pharma companies making money off maintenance of "chronic" diseases vs. one-shot "cures" is probably correct. But it's much more difficult to "cure" something like cardio-vascular disease than to treat it. There are simply too many factors involved. Still, there are many drugs that "cure" -- ask anyone who's had chemo, and is in remission.
If a drug has a patent for one disease which ends in 2009 and the same drug has a patent for ANOTHER disease which ends in 2013, it doesn’t really matter. The only thing it means is that the generic manufacturer cannot PROMOTE the drug for the latter indication, but the doc can write it for anything s/he wants. So, once a patent is lost, it’s over for the brand (they typically lose 80% of their revenue in the first year when they go off patent).
If you ever heard of Fanatrex, Gabarone, Gralise, Neurontin, Nupentin, they are all basically the same drug ... Gabapentin, which was developed in 1994. The FDA granted final approval to generic Gabapentin in 2004, and it can now be had for about 30 cents a pill.
Pfizer developed a new drug with a related structure called pregabalin, which is sold under the brand name Lyrica. They claim pregabalin absorbs faster (which is inconsequential, because this is a drug that works on building it up in your body over time ... it is not one that fixes something right after you take it), is more potent (which can be addressed by dosage), and has greater bio-availability (which is weird, because this drug is a calcium inhibitor to deaden nerve impulses ... don't know what bio-availability would have to do with that). Lyrica typically sells for about $3 a pill, or 10x as much as gabapentin.
Lyrica however gets the marketing dollars, and if your doctor determines you have epilepsy, neuralgia, fibromyalgia or pain from diabetes, they very well may prescribe Lyrica, but your insurance company will only want to pay for gabapentin. Lyrica was developed because the patent on gabapentin was running out, and is promoted as a newer, better drug ... but really is not.
Another great example of “new” drugs being even worse than what they are replacing would be in the field of inhalers. The old style inhalers worked significantly better than the new ones, but were discontinued because they affected the ozone layer! By taking the CFC propellant out of the inhaler and replacing it with a new propellant, they got a new patent and the cost of inhalers skyrocketed. Thanks FDA!
Well, it is a good drug (I imagine you’re on a pretty good dose also). After November (barring any legal hijinks by Pfizer) it will be significantly cheaper for you. And BTW, surprised Crestor didn’t get it done for you...
What I have noticed is a whole raft of articles in the mainstream media (including in some particularly lefty publications) stating that this or that test which was always thought to be important, or this or that treatment which was formerly thought to be necessary, has upon further review been found it ain’t necessarily so.
Put them all together and it appears to be a drumbeat.
It tells me they are in the process of conditioning the American people to expect a whole lot less health care under Obamacare.
“This does not make any sense to me. It seems to fit into the standard template of blaming the big pharmaceutical companies. Generic drugs can be marketed once the original patent for the proprietary drug expires. A pharmaceutical company gets exclusive rights to a particular drug for a given period of time, and generally prices them high to cover the developmental costs. Once the patent expires, any company can produce a corresponding generic drug. “
That’s traditionally how the industry works. BUt there is a disturbing new trend, the “recapture” of some key generic drugs by manufacturers who, in return for some trivial testing and validation, are given a new patent on the drug, with exclusive manufacturing rights. Patients see the price of an old standard, like colchicine, skyrocket to new-drug heights.
If the FDA wanted to play fair with us, it would simply contract out any additional testing needed on old drugs, rather than granting monopolies like medieval royalty.
“We are paying drastically higher drug prices right now. The price of drugs, generic and prescription, are skyrocketing.”
They outsourced our jobs and threw us out of work. Now it’s time for us to outsource our drug purchases and smash their monopoly.
Yes you are right.
We are being groomed to accept much less than the breakthrough treatments we have always counted on.
As with any one size fits all system, the top will pay for private treatment (china, Europe). And the bottom ill not get the specialized treatments. everyone else will get mediocre care.
Only Dumocrats would want to destroy the best health care system in the world.
What was up is now down. Unbelievable how American Society can be thrown into total chaos in 3 short years.
Can’t take Crestor. I have bad reactions to various drugs.
I have to be careful what I take. Try to stick with what works.
I had the misfortune of being on Vioxx for 2 years.
Thanks a lot Merck.
BTTT= BUMP TO THE TOP
Want other to be sure to read it.
NSAIDS are my bane. Just finished a round with a Nephrologist. Had to stop my Nsaid. cleared up the problem.
This is what makes me furious. We are not numbers. Each INDIVIDUAL reacts differently. Notice both of us resolve the situation with our Docs. Not some board in D.C. That is the danger we face.
Yes the prices are skyrocketing. Getting ready for that Obamacare.
Seriously, does D.C. have any clue where the money is coming from? Americans are out of work. NO TAXES being paid. Dummies can’t see past the next election. Anyone that believes this program is sustainable needs to be committed for being a danger to the general public.
I agree. They are taking more and more control away from our docs.
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