A report released Tuesday by US Senators Ron Wyden and Charles Grassley claims that Gilead Sciences priced the hepatitis C treatments Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) and Harvoni (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) with the sole goal of maximising revenue. The report was based on an investigation of 20 000 pages of internal company documents, dozens of interviews with health care experts […]
Author Archives: Dr James
In 1961, Polio Vaccine Inventor Jonas Salk explained his decision to make his invention freely available with the words “You can’t patent the sun”. 185,000,000 people are infected with Hepatitis C and since a cure was invented only 613,000 people have been treated – during the same time 1,500,000 have died. To mark World AIDS […]
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Nov
Nov
This is a screenshot of an article in the Australian today. Here is a link to the full text of the study published in the British Medical Journal http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/11/e009758.full.pdf And topping the list is….. No prizes for guessing. Clinical trial registration, reporting, publication and FDAAA compliance: a cross-sectional analysis and ranking of new drugs approved by […]
10
Nov
Nov
So Big Pharma’s argument about pricing goes like this: We spend a lot on R&D so we need to make a lot back when we find a winner. Now with Pharmasset we can look at the balance sheet immediately prior to Gilead’s purchase. At the time the sunk capital cost (accumulated deficit) was $324 million. […]
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Nov
Nov
You’ve almost certainly seen a version of this picture. It’s called earthrise and really hammers home the idea that we live co-operatively on a tiny speck in a dark black void. This particular version was taken out of the window of Apollo 13 on its ill fated journey to the moon. So, why is it […]
Rumour has it that PBS listing of HCV DAAs is not going to happen this year. It’s not official yet, but… We’ve started treatment for 5 patients on the transplant list in the last week, all referred from various centers. If you’re F4 waiting might not be your best option.
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Oct
Oct
I just sent an email called “There are no words” because… there simply are not. Dear L, Please accept my condolences about M’s passing and know that the opportunity to meet such a beautiful human being, who became so suddenly unwell, and still, staring death in the eye was weighing up the financial needs of […]
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Oct
Oct
We have previously tested Incepta’s Twinvir and today have received samples of Beacon Pharma’s Sofosbuvir, Daclatasvir and Ribavirin products for testing. We will share the testing results as soon as they are available. The quality of production of the packaging is extremely impressive, and I must say somewhat better than Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin I have […]
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Oct
Oct
Here is some interesting data from the Google Analytics about the FixHepC visitor demographics. It’s kind of spooky that Google knows your age and sex, but here’s their analysis. One of the interesting things is that with 1% of the population infected if you consider the impact of spouses and voting age children an organised […]
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Oct
Oct
NSW Health and ASHM (Australian Society of HIV/HBV/HCV Medicine) have joined forces to issue a position statement titled Importation of Generic HCV Drugs. You can follow the link or read the text below: 08 October 2015 Advice for HCV Clinicians This communique is for clinicians experienced in the management and treatment of Hepatitis C using Direct Acting […]