Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Financial Times via CNBC: Drugmaker raises price of acne cream to $10,000 a tube
https://twitter.com/Pharmed_Out/status/782597509315194881
PharmedOut
@Pharmed_Out
Combo drug that would cost $40 separately, costs $9,561 when combined. [link: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/21/drugmaker-raises-price-of-acne-cream-to-10000-a-tube.html|LINK].
8:06 AM - 2 Oct 2016
PharmedOut
@Pharmed_Out
Combo drug that would cost $40 separately, costs $9,561 when combined. [link: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/21/drugmaker-raises-price-of-acne-cream-to-10000-a-tube.html|LINK].
8:06 AM - 2 Oct 2016
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/21/drugmaker-raises-price-of-acne-cream-to-10000-a-tube.html
Drugmaker raises price of acne cream to $10,000 a tube
By David Crow
Wednesday, 21 Sep 2016 | 9:46 AM ET
A US drugmaker producing skin creams for common conditions such as acne and eczema has raised the price of two of its treatments to almost $10,000 a tube in the latest instance of "gouging" in the world's largest healthcare market, according to figures seen by the Financial Times.
Novum Pharma, a Chicago-based group, last week more than doubled the price of the ointments, even after similar increases by other drugmakers prompted outcry and propelled the topic of high healthcare costs into the US presidential campaign.
Martin Shkreli became an international pariah last year after he increased the price of a drug given to Aids patients from $13.50 to $750 a pill while Mylan, the maker of EpiPen, recently came under fire for a sharp rise in the price of its life-saving allergy injection.
Novum last week raised the price of a 60g tube of Aloquin, which is used to treat conditions such as eczema and acne, by 128 per cent to $9,561.
The ointment contains two inexpensive main ingredients: iodoquinol, a decades-old antibiotic that prevents fungal growth, and aloe polysaccharides, derived from the aloe vera plant. A similar cream containing iodoquinol is readily available as a generic and costs less than $30, while a tube of aloe vera can be bought for a few dollars.
Aloquin's label says it is "possibly effective", meaning the US Food and Drug Administration has decided there is only limited clinical evidence suggesting it is safe and works as intended.
"From a clinical standpoint, a drug listed as 'possibly effective' by the FDA, shouldn't be a likely treatment choice by doctors — especially not with a $10,000 price tag," said Michael Rea, chief executive of Rx Savings Solutions, which sells software designed to help employers and their workers reduce the cost of prescription medicines.
<>
Drugmaker raises price of acne cream to $10,000 a tube
By David Crow
Wednesday, 21 Sep 2016 | 9:46 AM ET
A US drugmaker producing skin creams for common conditions such as acne and eczema has raised the price of two of its treatments to almost $10,000 a tube in the latest instance of "gouging" in the world's largest healthcare market, according to figures seen by the Financial Times.
Novum Pharma, a Chicago-based group, last week more than doubled the price of the ointments, even after similar increases by other drugmakers prompted outcry and propelled the topic of high healthcare costs into the US presidential campaign.
Martin Shkreli became an international pariah last year after he increased the price of a drug given to Aids patients from $13.50 to $750 a pill while Mylan, the maker of EpiPen, recently came under fire for a sharp rise in the price of its life-saving allergy injection.
Novum last week raised the price of a 60g tube of Aloquin, which is used to treat conditions such as eczema and acne, by 128 per cent to $9,561.
The ointment contains two inexpensive main ingredients: iodoquinol, a decades-old antibiotic that prevents fungal growth, and aloe polysaccharides, derived from the aloe vera plant. A similar cream containing iodoquinol is readily available as a generic and costs less than $30, while a tube of aloe vera can be bought for a few dollars.
Aloquin's label says it is "possibly effective", meaning the US Food and Drug Administration has decided there is only limited clinical evidence suggesting it is safe and works as intended.
"From a clinical standpoint, a drug listed as 'possibly effective' by the FDA, shouldn't be a likely treatment choice by doctors — especially not with a $10,000 price tag," said Michael Rea, chief executive of Rx Savings Solutions, which sells software designed to help employers and their workers reduce the cost of prescription medicines.
<>
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
