tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post3139360852153726666..comments2024-01-08T04:16:25.601-08:00Comments on Ché (What You Call Your) Pasa: The BillChé Pasahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01926630891287949373noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post-83194596829702752552017-06-28T17:51:59.258-07:002017-06-28T17:51:59.258-07:00This is getting more and more amazing. Tomorrow I ...This is getting more and more amazing. Tomorrow I see my rheumatologist -- who ordered the Rituxan infusion when nothing else worked -- and I'll ask. I know the staff had the devil's own time trying to find out what the costs would be, and what they found out was... erroneous.<br /><br />There could be a story here. Thanks for the research. The more I look into it, the more interesting it becomes. Ché Pasahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01926630891287949373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post-62320549104992908412017-06-28T15:02:39.663-07:002017-06-28T15:02:39.663-07:00Ah, a clue (from the original wiki article I quote...Ah, a clue (from the original wiki article I quoted before): "In 2014 Genentech reclassified rituxan as a specialty drug, a class of drugs that are only available through specialty distributors in the US.[42] Because wholesalers discounts and rebates no longer apply, hospitals would pay more.[42]"<br /><br />So even though the patent expired, the maker can hold onto the drug, as they are the "specialty distributor".<br /><br />There are several reasons a drug can be classified as a "specialty drug". I would hazard to guess, because the wholesale price is so low, that the pharma company did it in this case just because they could. Turns out a lot of drugs are now listed as "specialty drugs", and they can charge whatever they want for them.<br /><br />Here's an article on specialty drugs:<br /><br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specialty_drugs_in_the_United_States<br /><br />It pretty much sounds like the FDA colluding with favored pharmas, but what the hell do I know?terinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post-34033419923408336362017-06-28T14:47:10.012-07:002017-06-28T14:47:10.012-07:00It's truly stunning. If the patents have expi...It's truly stunning. If the patents have expired, doesn't that mean someone can start making generics? (I see they have approved generics in India and Europe, why not in the US?) Generics aside, the price the insurance company paid - or told you they paid - is unbelievably higher than the wholesale cost. Orders of magnitude higher than any market could explain.<br /><br />Not sure where you go to get an explanation or have someone follow up on this sort of thing, but Jesus, it should be illegal as hell.<br /><br />- T<br />terinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post-2209688191721723042017-06-28T05:11:10.912-07:002017-06-28T05:11:10.912-07:00Wow, this could get really interesting if I follow...Wow, this could get really interesting if I follow through. I'd seen the Wikipedia article but didn't read it thoroughly, and I was not aware of the price difference elsewhere, nor the designation of Rituxan as an "essential" drug.<br /><br />A couple of hundred dollars for 100mg compared to the $20,000+ that was "allowed" by my insurance, and the $17,000+ that they paid.... leaving me to pick up the balance... <br /><br />Somebody is getting very rich off of this, a number of somebodies. Makes the EpiPen rip off look tame, no? <br /><br />Jeebus, I despise these people.Ché Pasahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01926630891287949373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2304235862479840318.post-18165156966573996042017-06-28T04:14:02.388-07:002017-06-28T04:14:02.388-07:00Dear Che,
"I thought that 5mg were being adm...Dear Che,<br /><br />"I thought that 5mg were being administered each time I had the infusion, but according to the bill ("This is not a bill") it was actually 50mg, and each time I had the infusion, the charge for Rituxan was $21,202."<br /><br />According to wikipedia, the wholesale price for Rituxan in developing countries is $148- $496 per 100 mg. The NHS in Great Britain pays 182 pounds for 100 mg. [Teri's note: 182 UK pounds = 233 US dollars] <br /><br />Looks like there is some SERIOUS price-gouging going on, even with the reduced amount "The Plan" eventually came up with for your bill. What a con!<br /><br />Here are a couple of pertinent paragraphs from the wikipedia entry on Rituxan:<br />******************<br />Rituximab, sold under the brand name Rituxan among others, [...]<br /><br />[...] Rituximab was approved for medical use in 1997.[3] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system.[4] The wholesale price in the developing world as of 2014 is US$148–496 per 100 mg.[5] In the United Kingdom this amount costs the NHS approximately £182.[6] <br /><br />[...] Rituximab is currently co-marketed by Biogen Idec and Genentech in the U.S., by Hoffmann–La Roche in Canada and the European Union, Chugai Pharmaceuticals, Zenyaku Kogyo in Japan and AryoGen in Iran.[citation needed]<br /><br />[...] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medications needed in a basic health system.[41]<br />In 2014 Genentech reclassified rituxan as a specialty drug, a class of drugs that are only available through specialty distributors in the US.[42] Because wholesalers discounts and rebates no longer apply, hospitals would pay more.[42]<br />Originally available for intravenous injection (e.g. over 2.5 hrs), in 2016 it gained EU approval in a formulation for subcutaneous injection for CLL.[43]<br />Patents on the drug in expired in Europe in February 2013 and in the US in September 2016.[44] By February 2017 several biosimilars had been approved in India and one biosimilar had received approval in Europe.[44] [...]<br /><br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rituximab<br />terinoreply@blogger.com