Thank you all, I wish I could say Harvoni cured me, but it did not. Generic sofosbuvir and ledipasvir from China did. I would still be very sick without it.
Gilead is a hedge fund under the guise of a pharmaceutical company. They want drugs that will treat diseases that are problems in wealthy, industrialized nations. Don't look for them to come up with a cure for malaria, ebola or Zika-there is just not enough money in it for them to be interested.
They will continue to tend the geese that lay the golden eggs until, like Australia, they are forced to "make the deal". Then they will cook and eat them.
In the US, insurers are relaxing restrictions because of legal pressure brought about by patients over denial of treatment. This will force substantial rises in the cost of health insurance for everyone, with Gilead getting the money. Health insurance companies don‘t go broke. They have reserve funds, and when they have to tap into them one year, they raise the premiums the next to cover the shortfall.
Widespread acceptance of affordable generics is the only way Greediad will have its hand forced. Dr. Freeman's EASL presentation on the stellar findings of the REDEMPTION clinical trials tomorrow could be a major first step.
We are in a high stakes poker game here. The insurance companies are the "house”- Gilead, the well-funded, card-counting professional gambler.
We are the chips.
