Bayer Pharmaceutical CEO: Cancer drug only ‘for western patients who can afford it’

[unhappycamper]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/26/bayer-pharmaceutical-ceo-cancer-drug-only-for-western-patients-who-can-afford-it/



Bayer is part of a group of German chemical companies that brought us Zylklon B and sarin in WW II.

Bayer Pharmaceutical CEO: Cancer drug only ‘for western patients who can afford it’
By Scott Kaufman
Sunday, January 26, 2014 14:13 EST

In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Bayer CEO Marijn Dekkers said that his company’s new cancer drug, Nexavar, isn’t “for Indians,” but “for western patients who can afford it.”

The drug, which is particularly effective on late-stage kidney and liver cancer, costs approximately $69,000 per year in India, so in March 2012 an Indian court granted a license to an Indian company to produce to the drug at a 97 percent discount.

Bayer sued Natco Pharma Ltd., but in March of last year, the High Court in Mumbai denied its appeal. Bayer CEO called the compulsory license issued by the Indian court “essentially theft,” then said “[w]e did not develop this medicine for Indians…[w]e developed it for western patients who can afford it.”

Nexavar costs approximately $96,000 per year in the United States, but Bayer assures “western patients” that they can have access to the drug for a $100 copay.

[aquart]

1. Anyone sorry the Indian courts screwed him over?

Can Americans get the Indian knockoff in Indian hospitals?

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. "for 100.00 co-pay"

without mentioning how much in premiums an insurance company would have to collect to cover the rest of the cost of the drug.
So the drug maker gets rich, the insurance company gets rich ( they ARE for profit, ya know), both pay little or no taxes on their profits.
and guess who gets screwn.........

I would call for single payer,but in this climate of unchecked theivery, the Gov't would rather give OUR tax money to banks instead of people who need medical care.

[liberal N proud]

3. What a compassionate soul

NOT!

[Ilsa]

4. I hope Dekker needs the drug. soon.

Yeah, I'm a terrible person.

[siligut]

5. It would seem that elitism is no longer in the closet

Pharma companies always use the excuse that R&D is expensive and they are only trying to recoup their investment. Marijin collects 4.62 million a year for his discrimination. This of course doesn't include stock options or bonuses.


Bayer Pharmaceuticals Key Executives Pay:

Dr. Marijn E. Dekkers Ph.D., 57
Chairman of Management Board and Chief Exec. Officer 4.62M

Mr. Werner Baumann , 52
Chief Financial Officer and Member of Management Board 3.70M

Dr. Wolfgang Plischke , 63
Member of Management Board 1.93M

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=BAYRY+Profile