TOPIC:

Well it has been a long time coming but announced on the ABC this morning the Turnbull government to spend $1 billion dollars on DAA'S. That is great new according to the regional hepc specialist for my area, the reality will look something like this.
It will take a minimum of 6 months to setup & start dispensing & due to the set amount of money allocated, it will be a case of prioritiesing. So basicly " sorry but come but when you are sicker".
Well this being what we are looking at, I would suggest the the whole "Sicker" concept is something that is hard to define & even harder to test for, considering it only relies real on to tests,
1. LFT -well we are all going to have raised levels, all good so far.
2. Secondly- & far more important to where you will sit on theses new waiting lists is the fibroscan, now for that you need to have a minimum score of 14.5 to be consideted cirrhotic now just say HYPOTHETICALLY & BE CLEAR NOW I AM JUST LETTING MY THOUGHTS DRIFT HERE AS I STARE OUT THE WINDOW ENJOYING THE LOVERLY VIEW, that you just happened to FORGET to not eat before the fibroscan, not only that you just happened to eat a medium size ( so it wouldn't show up in a physical examination) of particularly dense heavy food. You just might find that your fibroscan scan is worringly high requiring treatment as soon as possible.
Regards Angus

Cheat to get higher up the inevitable list?

I'd rather pay for generics thanks. Simpler, faster, surer.

The headline is tx for all, I would think not but hey it's a great thing. 1 billion is a fraction of what's needed. It will be interesting to know what the negotiated price is? That will determined the number of txs. At 50k it won't be a lot of txs. Em

Well,
The PBMs in the U.S. get Harvoni for around $56,000. Maybe the fact Aussies can openly self-import, where we up here can'f, forced them to go lower.
I would imagine not that much lower.
Most insurers in the U.S. require Metavir scores of F-3 or 4 to cover treatment. Some require being on the transplant list. A few people can get it who are not so sick, but it takes a year or two in most cases.
Mike

I think that headline is a plays-good-to-the-masses on behalf of the Health Minister, but cost will undoubtably triage supply - its just no "official" guidelines will state who can be treated and who can't. Just get to the back of a very long queue if you aren't very unwell.

And yeah em, I doubt we would have beaten Gilead down by more than 50% to any less than an amount comparable with France ($50K)

I think about 4k per year will get access to meds a long way short of whats needed.

Nothing like pricing a pill at a $1000 a pop and then giving the government a 50% off sale price. That makes it a steal at $500.
If they had a pair, they would give that money to the Doc and really make a dent in the problem
Go figure...
M

Funny how that works.....

It's a farce actually.

One billion will treat everyone...... If the price of the pills comes down to $4500

Joke.

France got it for $50k. If did a little better we can now treat........ Not 230k but 30k and that's over five years.

Who are they trying to kid?

Access for all is just BULLSHIT.

Joy wrote: Cheat to get higher up the inevitable list?

I'd rather pay for generics thanks. Simpler, faster, surer.

Right with you there Joy!

In view of Gileads track record - I wonder whether there are conditions other than price that have been agreed to in sealing the "deal". I think our rights to access generics needs to be safeguarded. As an exercise in fiscal responsibility and the dollars earned hard on the backs of working Australians - I wonder if there was any serious consideration given to sources other than Gilead.

It is an interesting question, Archer...I wonder if the various treaties/trade aggreements we are signatories to would compel the govt to stick with big pharma as the sole supply.

...... have Gilead share prices increased?

A measly billion dollars might cover upper management's Christmas bonus...
Mike

mgalbrai wrote: A measly billion dollars might cover upper management's Christmas bonus...
Mike

That's probably too close to the truth to actually laugh at.

A bit later......... yes I thought I read something today. From Dr James' blog -

According to Reuters John Martin, CEO of Gilead Sciences, has taken home $400.6 million dollars between 2009-2013 and is on track to take home $600 million making him the best remunerated executive in the USA.