U.S. lawmakers ask Gilead to justify hepatitis C drug's $84,000 price

[jsr]

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-hepatitis-c-gilead-pricing-20140321,0,3617096.story

U.S. lawmakers ask Gilead to justify hepatitis C drug's $84,000 price
By Chad Terhune
March 21, 2014, 12:04 p.m.

U.S. lawmakers have asked Gilead Sciences Inc. to justify the price of its new $84,000 drug for hepatitis C patients amid growing concern about the high cost to taxpayers and consumers.

In a letter to the Foster City, Calif., company Thursday, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) and two other Democratic lawmakers asked Gilead Chief Executive John C. Martin to explain the rationale for selling Sovaldi for $1,000 per pill.

Previous therapies for hepatitis C helped only about half of patients and had numerous side effects. In comparison, clinical trials of Sovaldi have shown cure rates approaching 90% with far fewer complications.

The lawmakers noted those potential benefits for patients, but they said the expensive medication could impose substantial costs on taxpayer-funded Medicaid programs and lead to premium increases for those with employer or individual health coverage.

[bowens43]

1. It is very expensive, too expensive, but about the same cost as previous treatments

with three huge differences

1. few or no side effects
2. 12 weeks instead of 48
3. It works for the vast majority of patients

I'm not defending the cost just saying that it worked for me when previous treatments (2 of them) did not.

I'm cured.

[JimDandy]

2. That is ridiculous! And you know they are/will sell

those same pills for waaaay less to citizens of other countries. This is one of the problems with mandating insurance for all instead of health care for all.

[uppityperson]

3. k&r