if those American drug manufacturing companies had their way over here, most of us who need ongoing pharmaceuticals would be penniless in no time, in my my mind their profiteering is on a par with drug pushing. Their overworked excuse that they need to cover research just doesn't wash, a lot of those medications have long ago covered their research costs. I really feel sorry for the Americans on low and average incomes, it must be a nightmare when they need medications and hospital stays.
Right on Derek! Ron has battled prostate cancer for 17 years, thanks to an amazing Dr. Andrew Loblaw and his team....and new trial pills and radiation. We now have to go to a newer and stronger pill. I know more than one US person who had to go bankrupt from the Pca news group I was on for this insidious disease!! It’s highway robbery!! Canada refuses to pay Big Pharma in the USA for their hugely inflated prices for Lipitor etc. Pfizer backed down on that one.
This is one big problem with a capitalist democracy, some governments are afraid to take on big companies who make exorbitant profits, when it comes down to it, it's price gouging. We say that Drug lords and Drug Pushers are trading on the misery of others, so isn't that what the big drug companies are doing when they charge exorbitant prices for their products. So ends my rant.
There are still some drugs we have to pay for... thank goodness my daughter has good insurance through the company she works for. One was over $2000.00 after every chemo treatment.
Where did she get the chemo cuz we don't pay for it here. My brother-in-law had 3 bouts of it. However the pills after the chemo infusions were $6,000/month. My sister's insurance from George Brown covered 85% and the drug company ate the 15%. it was a trial drug too.....most unfair!!
So far ours is all free. Some chemo we have to pay a small fee which is the normal PBS fee, it’s just a preparation fee for the pharmacist. Concession card holders pay around $6.50 or so. Others the cost is around $30. But some chemo drugs are beyond what anyone can afford. We have been lucky.
Some drugs are exorbitantly expensive to make. Which is why they cost so much. Hubby’s brother is doing a trial and his meds are free, all costs covered by the government.
I have a friend who is a research chemist for Pfizer here in the UK and he agrees that the research costs are covered by the sales of the drugs within a very short time, its just profiteering. Makes you so mad for people who have to pay and cant afford it
Yes, the same as Ron's. If it goes to a more advanced trial, then you either step up to the one where half get the real drug, half don't........or you also can pay $9,000/month like the US. Poor souls!! My pharmacist choked when he looked the drug up and asked me if I had private insurance.......so may be we are damn lucky to be at this particular cancer centre where they do a lot of research.
Thanks you, @Findem , for your spot-on rant. Big hugs to all of you especially those fighting disease, and those special caregivers among you. My prayer list is long these days, but y'all are certainly there.
Thanks GrannyBarb!! Much appreciated. I am having a tough week because my sister lost her husband to cancer 8 days ago. The sad part was she couldn’t be with him due to Covid closing hospitals to visitors so she was only allowed to be with him for his last half hour. I think the “guy upstairs” has tested me enough this last month!!
Thanks ladies! Much appreciated. I tend to hold things in which is not necessarily the best thing, but must be that "stiff upper lip" my Dad always reminded us of. And on the other hand, I can't seem to tell people without falling apart......my neighbour has been great.
