TOPIC:

It's occurred to me that there's perhaps another logic happening with the extreme prices pharma are asking for the new medicines. These medicines have the potential to virtually eradicate Hep C. But why would pharma want to do that? They would lose customers for their new drugs en masse. To maximise profits in this situation, from the point of view of pharma, it would be best to restrict access to the drugs to a significant extent, so that the pool of Hep C patients is not overly diminished. The extreme pricing achieves both the aim of maximising profits in the short term as well as the aim of restricting access so as to maximise profits in the longer term.

Generally, if a corporation can find a strategy that maximises profits in both the short and longer term, they will use it.

All too true.

There is an issue approaching fast for Pharma.

On the past it has mainly been controls. These days more and more it is cures. It is their number one problem.

Many new genetic therapies are on the Horizon. It's got them really worried.

More and more people will be turning to sites like this and places like India etc.

10000 customers for your product in a market place.Production cost $0.50 per unit. 9500 have income of $100 per month and can afford to pay $1.The remaining 500 have income of $5000 per month and can afford to pay $50. So i sell at $50 per unit.

Very interesting discussion! If I may add another layer? We're all expecting big pharma to jump all over these buyers clubs and generic fanchises however maybe it's like free advertising for them? In reality we're only a very small dot on the HCV treatment spectrum. The other interesting layer is that if hep c is cured then there will be a lot of forums, authorities, agencies and groups that will no longer be provided with government funding to continue their work? Is or will there be resistance from our so called supporter agencies?

It's similar to the whole cancer landscape, if a scientist (sitting in the back blocks of the world somewhere) found a cure for all cancers, would we feel confident that the cure would make it to market? Or is it reasonably to suspect our little scientist would be bought out by big pharma/FDA? Given his or her own hospital wing and research facility to work with rats for another 10 years. I'm in the mindset of the latter. Em

Pharmaceutical companies are investor driven.I recently read a shocking report by an american investment source advising investors in Gilead that they need not fear competition from other drug companies over new HCV drugs as 240,000 new cases could confidently be expected in the USA every year,and there would be enough profits for everyone.That is the shocking mindset that governs it all.It's capitailism devoid of any morality from a country only too ready to lecture the rest of the world on human rights.Nothing is going to change that.
There is ,however,one faint star on the horizon.It is our own little Australian Benitec Biopharma .Quote from their website.
"Benitec Biopharma has developed a breakthrough platform for treating human diseases called ddRNAi.
Unlike other RNAi-based technologies, ddRNAi effects lasting change in target cells, leading to long term benefit and, potentially, cure. "
Our current clinical pipeline is focused on multi-billion dollar market opportunities in Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, lung cancer and wet Age-related Macular Degeneration, as well as the orphan genetic disease, oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy. However, ddRNAi technology has potential well beyond these conditions; it could potentially be applied to countless genes in humans and in disease-causing micro-organisms.'

The technology involves gene silencing.Once the appropriate gene is silenced the virus cannot replicate and a person cannot be reinfected.One of the issues is that,unlike gene splicing,once a gene is turned off it cannot be turned on again,and it is a question of finding the correct vector to work the process..The research is well advanced and 5 trial sites have been set up,Yes, you guessed it,IN THE USA.
I have had a long conversation with Peter French the head scientist.He is very optimistic and confident.If it can be shown to work it will be a major revolution in medicine.
One of the questions I asked him was "If this is successful,its going to punch a massive hole in Big Pharma's profits,how are they going to react.He seemed to think some sort of parnership agreement would emerge.But then he added "Of course if we were made an offer we could not refuse,we may have to rethink."The only help this promising little company gets from the Australian Govt is Tax Concessions.This company operates on a tiny budget,and our local billionaires have shown no investment savvy.Its had to list on the Nasdaq to try and raise capital.
So in other words a discovery,if it shown to work, that could save this country billions will possibly be bought by the yanks in order to protect their own Big Pharma, and sold back to us,probably at a price that we cannot afford.
Are we a stupid country?

Miko
I have been invested in Benitec for many years and followed every move of ddRNAi.

Make no mistake, they are going to sell this if it works. Calimmune, who use ddRNAi licenced from Benitec, are the world leader in HIV research for a cure. They have actually already nailed it but the process is not quite ready for global rollout. Expect more news in a few months on that and of the HCV trial from Benitec.

Australia is not the place for large biotech companies. Perhaps CSL is an exception. The TPP is further evidence of this.

Profit comes before cure. It is a fact of life. It disgusts me but it is a fact.

Fascinating stuff about Benitec.

On the subject of Big Pharma, I'm reminded of the opening lines of William Burroughs' sci-fi novel Nova Express, written over 50 years ago, and quite prophetic:



"Listen to my last words anywhere. Listen to my last words any world. Listen all you boards syndicates and governments of the earth. And you powers behind what filth deals consummated in what lavatory to take what is not yours. To sell the ground from unborn feet forever –

"Don’t let them see us. Don’t tell them what we are doing –"

"Not The Cancer Deal with The Venusians –"

"Not the Green Deal – Don’t show them that –"

"Not the Orgasm Death –"

"Not the ovens –"

Listen: I call you all. Show your cards all players. Pay it all pay it all pay it all back. Play it all pay it all play it all back. For all to see. In Times Square. In Piccadilly.

"Premature. Premature. Give us a little more time."

Time for what? More lies? Premature? Premature for who? I say to all these words are not premature. These words may be too late. Minutes to go. Minutes to foe goal -

"Top Secret - Classified - For The Board - The Elite - The Initiates – "

Are these the words of the all-powerful boards and syndicates of the earth? These are the words of liars cowards collaborators traitors. Liars who want time for more lies, Cowards who can not face your "dogs" your "gooks" your "errand boys" your "human animals" with the truth"



Fact is, Big Pharma views us as cash cows. Literally. We're all just expendable "human animals" to them. The same goes with big business in general. You get to see it in a more open and feral way in third world countries where they don't really care who knows. In our first world countries it's all put behind a veneer of respectability, but it's uglier because it happens on a so much bigger scale.

UGH!!!

Ah,what memories you bring back Alsdad.Those days when to get a copy of the 'Naked Lunch" you whispered in the booksellers ear,and he reached under the counter and handed it to you prewrapped in brown paper,whilst looking over his shoulder.
Are we in a truly mad world?.Here we have the means to wipe this cursed virus from the face of the planet.And what is preventing it-THE SYSTEM-.Law and order must prevail.Investors must reap their rewards like pigs swilling at a trough.No short cuts must be allowed.Death is preferable to change.The correct procedures must be maintained.We must bow and curtsie to our great ally,America.
How lucky we are to have Communist China,and Socialist India to say "Stick your selfish patents up your butt."
How lucky we are to have courageous decent men driven by commonsence and compassion like Doc James,and Greg Jefferys,and probably others I don't know about.

and the good old USA could well elect donald trump as their next president.absurd frightening.its mad!