TOPIC:

observer.com/2016/01/top-dem-obama-to-si...ription-drug-prices/

President Barack Obama will sign an executive order that will limit what pharmaceutical companies can charge, Congressman Charles Rangel, the dean of New York City’s congressional delegation, announced Tuesday night.

I sincerely hope Obama can pull it off.

Things are warming up. Here's another article about asking US taxpayers for a solution:

After 18 months spent slicing and dicing 20,000 pages of Gilead Sciences ($GILD) documents and emails, a Senate investigation concluded that the drugmaker put very high price tags on its hep C cures Sovaldi and Harvoni, knowing full well that would keep some patients in need from affording them. Now the Senate sponsors of the inquiry are asking payers and public, based on what was learned, just what can the government do to discourage untenable drug prices without stepping all over pharma innovation.

The letter from Republican Sen. Charles Grassley and Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden points out that taxpayers should have a say on drug prices since much of the cost of paying for the drugs falls to taxpayer-paid programs which have been strained by their high prices. They are seeking "thoughtful feedback" by March 4 to questions in which they generally asked:

What is the impact on the market when you have a single source for a breakthrough drug?

Are payers getting all the info they need to gauge what the costs and patient volume will be and what the potential improvement a therapy will provide?

Where does the concept of "value" play into the debate on drug pricing?

How can more price transparency be achieved without deterring innovation?

And finally, what tools exist or are needed to address high drug costs, particularly for low income patients, and Medicaid programs?

www.fiercepharma.com/story/yes-gilead-pu...ators-ask/2016-01-22

And here's the official letter from Wyden & Grassley to the "Healthcare and Patient Community"
www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/012...eedback%20FINAL4.pdf

Hopefully, these developments and REDEMPTION generics will be the multi-pronged attack needed to force change.
Mike

I hope David Cameron's listening

I read this sentence from Dr James' link and my jaw just drops in astonishment.

"Medicare Part D, created under President George W. Bush in 2003, underwrites prescription drugs for those participating in the federal program, but prohibits the government from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices."

So the Pharma's get to name the price that they charge for drugs used in the U.S. Medicare program and the government gets no say in it?

Yes GAJ, truly gobsmacking. George W's legacies live on in so many disastrous ways.
The system is broken.
And now US Senators asking their public how to fix it.
So to all our American friends, start writing - time for people power!

Gaj wrote: So the Pharma's get to name the price that they charge for drugs used in the U.S. Medicare program and the government gets no say in it?

It's gets better and betterer ..... Donald Rumsfield who was in W's cabinet at the time happens to be a large shareholder in Gilead sciences who helped develop Tamiflu. Remember the drug the worlds gov'ts were encouraged to buy at exhorbitant prices and never used It's a pity the unknown knowns wern't unknown then.

The "no price negotiation" part of Medicare Part D is probably the worst example, but consider:

Donald Rumsfeld was Chairman of Gilead from 1997 until 2001 before resigning to become Secretary of Defense.

Several Gilead / Pharma benefiting events occurred during the time D.R. was part of G.W.B.'s inner circle.

The US DOD begins to stockpile Tamiflu (a barely effective drug) not long after D.R. becomes Secretary of defence.

www.huffingtonpost.com/david-h-newman-md/tamiflu_b_4400584.html

www.vaccines.mil/documents/870TamifluReleasePolicy.pdf

and although Tamiflu was purchased from Roche, Gilead licensed it to Roche so were a significant beneficiary:

Gilead receives a blended royalty on sales of Tamiflu, tiered from 14 to 22 percent based on Roche's annual net sales.

investors.gilead.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=699...ewsArticle&ID=783456

Article on that fine fellow Donald Rumsfeld
www.national-toxic-encephalopathy-foundation.org/rumasp.pdf

Aspartame yumm

Old Rummy was an angel compared to some of the characters running Congress now.
M

And i don't trust ANY of them. Especially that 'Obama' fellow.

Jeffrey Sachs, Professor of Economics at Columbia University, Special Advisor to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, spoke on Radio National this morning. Although the title is "Growing criticism over Hillary Clinton's links to military and financial establishments", go to 8 minutes to hear his criticism of the US paying $1000 per pill for medicines that cost $1 per pill to produce.

mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2016/02/bst_20160218_0815.mp3

This is great news! As long as the government doesn't go too far (I have faith, even cutting the price in half would be a major achievement in USA )

Pharmasset, the company Gilead bought that created the drug was going to charge $35K for 12 weeks of Harvoni. While still expensive, in the US I think most insurance carriers would pay for it for most patients.

But Twinvir (generic Harvoni) is under $1500 for 12 weeks, shipped via DHL to your door

If you are in USA, email my friend at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details ;)