I’ve moved this discussion from Pharma’s Market to here (and relinked the Velpatasvir/Sofosbuvir launch article in the original thread) as it is an important discussion though not directly related to the generics manufacturer it was posted under.

While I don’t disagree with Greg’s point regarding generic medication and advocacy groups such as WHA and many of their partners I would point out that these groups do provide a means of publicising the existence of the hepatitis pandemic and that there are now medications available that can cure HCV for over 90% of the 180 million people infected worldwide. To me it appears to be a double edged sword.

We have some large advocacy groups providing valuable publicity and information to the generally unaware public on the extent of the hepatitis problem while lobbying politicians for better health services. To achieve this they require funding which governments (and I would suggest many of the public) are not prepared to dip into their pockets to provide. Big Pharma are prepared to put up a large proportion of that funding but in return their expectation is presumably that the advocacy groups don’t rock the boat by mentioning the availability of (to us) far cheaper and just as effective generic versions of medications, often licensed by those same manufacturers for what are still very high prices to their target markets.

So on one hand, as someone with HCV who sees and experiences the lack of knowledge of the general public regarding this disease I welcome the advocacy groups’ generation of publicity and their lobbying of government for more widespread treatment. On the other, I am appalled by the greed of Big Pharma in the prices they charge for these life saving medications. Prices that drive the huge costs that currently constrain government or insurance company from treating all patients.

But as RHF states, there is a pressure relief valve provided by generic medications that all taxpayers and the insured need to be made aware of whether they have hepatitis or not because currently everyone ends up paying for those extortionate prices. That is where I see people like ourselves and organisations like FixHepC having input into the process by using the opportunities like World Hepatitis Day that these organisations support to nudge that relief valve open a few more turns by opening up the discussion and educating others about the availability of generics.

edit: In other words, we should recognise that many of these advocacy groups may well be used as pawns to do Big Pharma’s lobbying but we should make use of the opportunities that they provide to spread the word about generics availability and efficacy.

Welcome sheriff,

If you haven’t already done so, use the Search tab at the top of the page to search for Canada. There are quite a few posts you can read while waiting for one of your countrymen or women to respond.

Oh, you’re gonna be in so much trouble Matt!

Hint: mermaids are known to hang around (with) beaches

Fantastic news Sven!

That’s not optimism Matt, rather confidence.

Hi beahaven, great to hear that you have commenced treatment. Wishing you every success.

Bienvenue , s’il vous plaît excuser mon français , je suis en utilisant Google Translate. Nous avons des membres français qui peuvent être en mesure d’ aider à expliquer à vous. On dirait que vous avez rechuté après votre dernier traitement. Il existe des médicaments plus efficaces disponibles aujourd’hui . Si personne ne répond s’il vous plaît envoyez un courriel à help@fixhepc.com Ils seront en mesure de traduire.