Posted on 08/31/2017 9:33:02 AM PDT by buckalfa
Yes, they do. But keep in mind, pharma companies don't just make drugs, ship them out the door, and then forget about them. They must still file regular reports to numerous regulatory agencies, they continue to conduct clinical trials , stability and packaging studies, and they maintain help desks 24/7 in the event a patient, pharmacist or doctor experiences an adverse event, or has a prescribing question.
In the event a drug is counterfeited or its integrity question in some manner, the pharma company may have to assay samples to determine the composition, or even participate in a legal investigation.
So to answer your question, a pharma company may learn over time, how to manufacture their products more efficiently. That's a given. But the operating costs rarely ever become smaller over time.
The drug/treatment likely is classified as experimental therefore no insurance coverage.
So, what’s your solution to the problem you see ?
Also, stop taking drugs/procedures off the market that has a 1/10,000 (In a lot of cases 100,000) incidental circumstances. Also have you ever heard of personnel injury attorneys and subsidizing other countries?
One drug to market is an expensive journey while covering the cost of the ones that “fail”. This is a business remember. Necessity + Profit = risks taken. Take profit out and risk goes with that (Necessity will always be there but not properly funded because its EXPENSIVE). Chemists and molecular genetic scientist won't work for cheap either.
I have CLL, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
After my last round of Intravenous Chemotherapy a few years ago, I was told that there were two or three new Oral Medications just approved that would mean the end to Intravenous Chemotherapy for me once it raises its ugly head again. I was told for the first time in 10 Years that I was in Remission for my CLL. So far so good, BUT...
That was great news, until I found out I now have a second form of Leukemia, MDS. It stands for Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Should it become aggressive, the Treatment Regimen is much more severe. I would probably have to have a Bone Marrow Transplant at some point to survive it. That is pretty much the only proven effective Treatment for it.
I have no expectation of anyone paying $750,000 for a single Treatment to keep me alive, much less a Regimen of multiple costs reaching into the multi millions of dollars. At least Drug Dealers give you the first one free. LOL
Yes, it is refunded. There was a news article in my paper this morning.
Prayers up for your recovery.
You understand “humor” and illustrating absurdity with absurdity, right?
Very tough question. You certainly wouldn't want to do anything to discourage research or development on new drugs, but the disparity in what the drug/treatment costs in the US vs overseas must be addressed. New drugs/treatments take years before they are covered by insurance, so costs are generally "out of pocket". Although most major Pharmaceutical Manufacturers have programs where those that cannot afford drugs can receive them, the costs still leave most families broke. Raising prices in other countries so that prices here can be reduced, risks the drugs companies being locked out of those markets for all their drugs, but perhaps modest increases abroad might allow them to decrease prices here. It really is a matter of life or death.
Any REAL solutions must first clear the hurdle of the kickbacks Pharmaceutical companies provide to politicians and doctors, who become their willing puppets.
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