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This is great news!
I did read however here http://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2016-01-29/merck-zepatier-hepatitis-c-drug-price-could-be-a-game-changer
that Merck is putting the “discount” into the list price to make Gilead look bad. But both drugs will cost insurers about the same,
Good news!!
Hope Australia does the same too.
x
Thanks. We got some help from the big advocates and getting media coverage has helped us tremendously.
Unfortunately, we will need to continue fighting. Congress gave the VA 1.5 billion to be used for treatment. The VA gets a discount from Gilead. They pay $41,000 for 12 weeks of Sof. So obviously when they say they will treat all Veterans they’re lying. One thing you can always count on with the VA is lies.
I’m attaching the official memo that says they will treat all and the “use of prioritization protocol to determine eligibility for treatment is no longer in effect” (You know, the prioritization protocol they denied having that said only treat Stage 4).
Then right below it says that even though they are not limiting treatment, facilities should make sure that the Stage 4’s get treated first….and if that is not prioritization I don’t know what is.
Last, but not least, it says the funding is for meds but they have no funding for staffing or laboratory testing.
Oh, come on, you didn’t really think they were ready to do the right thing, did you?
We still consider it great news. To all Veterans….now is the time to treat. If they deny you treatment, contact HCVets.com and let us know.
To all of you….thank you, for opening your hearts to people you didn’t even know. For including Veterans in your posts and helping us pass our message. To Dr Freeman because some of the info he posted was instrumental in the CBS story.
What’s next for us?
Apply pressure so they’ll let us use generics, of course. I’m talking to the other adviocates about generics…and just wait until I show them that the VA included Veterans in some of Gilead’s Sovaldi/Olysio studies back in May 2014 without telling them they were in studies (Sovaldi/Olysion got FDA approval Nov 2014). They were told the VA was “using sofosbuvir off label. I think the money they made from participating in studies should be used to treat the rest, don’t you think?…..(and people wonder why I walk around mad all the time….ha!)
P
“If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it.”
― Mark TwainI have to disagree with such populist cynicism. In fact I’d say it panders to those who would attempt to thwart change!
The VA administration was exposed as not looking after the veterans with HCV. The bad press that was generated meant they had to do something and they have to the tune of $1.5 billion……which isn’t enough so they attempted to use smoke and mirrors in the hope that those who embarrassed them previously will leave them in peace.
Unlike MT, Price and her colleagues aren’t fooled or disheartened and are continuing the fight. As she says, the veterans need your support and comments about generics.
G3a since ’78 – Dx ’12 – F4 (2xHCC)
24wk Tx – PEG/Riba/Dac 2013 relapsed
24wk Tx – Generic Sof/Dac/Riba 2015/16 relapsed
16wk Tx – 12/01/17 -> 03/05/17 NS3/NS5a + Generic Sof
SVR7 – 22/06/17 UND
SRV12 – 27/07/17 UND
SVR24 – 26/10/17 UND
Maybe this will help some of you other democracies better understand what old Sam was talking about!
M
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