Gilead, a US biotech company that discovers and
commercializes therapeutics has recently developed a novel therapy, Solvaldi,
curing a once incurable disease— Hepatitis C. This disease is caused by
infection with the Hepatitis C virus and spread through contact with the blood
of infected individuals. More than 130 million people are infected with this virus
worldwide and it causes nearly half a million deaths a year. This life-saving drug comes at a hefty
price—between 84,000 and 168,000 USD—underscoring the tension between
capitalism and the common good.
Remarkably, Gilead has released Solvaldi for a fraction of
the cost to developing nations such as Vietnam, Honduras, and South Africa
after making deals with several generic pharma companies across the US. The
bottle would be priced at only $300, effectively 1% of the cost to patients in
the United States. This new deal would give access to generic Solvaldi to half
of the world’s population with Hep C and certainly represents an act of
altruism rare among pharmaceutical companies.
However, critics argue that Gilead has not done enough. Even
at $300 a bottle, it is still significantly more than the manufacturing costs
of the pills alone. Furthermore, this life-saving therapy is out of reach of
many impoverished people infected in the United States and middle-income
countries such as Brazil and Turkey.
Gilead’s choice to offer different pricing structures
depending on the market partly address the primary complaints posed against the
pharma industry. The high profit margin of pharma comes from the often-overlooked
price of research and development, not only of the specific drug that is
successful but all the other drugs in the pipeline that fail. Still the high
price is difficult to justify when dealing with health care, because of the
desperate need for medical care among patients allows the price of drugs to
become exorbitant, but this price simultaneously drives new innovation all the
same.
-Will St. Amant
Updated Sep. 15
1 comment:
5 years ago I had warts, I was treated with some liquid applied to the warts they continued to grow and spread... The next 2 doctors did laser surgery to remove them. 1 year after the surgery, they grew back close to where the 1st ones were' so I was finally told it was hpv. I have had it for very long time, I contract it from my cheated boyfriend and I found out he was also infected and I end up the relationship between us. the warts was so embarrasses because it started spreading all over I have be dealing with this things for very long time the last treatment I take was About 2 years ago I applied natural treatment from Dr onokun herbal cure, a week after applying the treatment all the warts was gone. it's now 2 years and some months I don't have single wart or any symptoms of hpv. wow"" it's great, Dr onokun has finally cured me. Anyone living with hpv contact Dr onokun for natural treatment.
His email address: dronokunherbalcure@gmail.com
Post a Comment