Sunday, May 1, 2016

Ah, the Good Old Money Maker, Cancer

A report published in the Science Daily said, "New cancer drugs, taken in pill form, have become dramatically more expensive in their first year on the market compared with drugs launched 15 years ago, calling into question the sustainability of a system that sets high prices at market entry in addition to rapidly increasing those prices over time."

[...]

Since 2000, cost of certain oral medications for cancer treatment has increased multiple-fold.

[...]

These drugs are preferred as they are less stressful on the patients than traditional chemotherapy treatments.

[...]

Researchers have compared products launched from 2000 to 2010 to those launched after 2010. It was found that a 63% rise has come in the mean monthly spending during the first year when the product was on the market.

Study author Stacie Dusetzina, of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, said that the main message is that these medicines are getting more expensive with time. Though there has been a push to create anti-cancer drugs for patients, the increase in prices is making it difficult for a patient to access the therapies.

[...]

Shawn Osborne, vice president of Pharmacy and Supply Chain Services at University Hospitals of Cleveland, said that these types of cancer therapies are attracting more limelight because they are providing great results to patients.

Just because these drugs have been showing better outcomes for patients, manufacturers have been charging more. Also, just because the drugs are new, getting access to the drugs can be more expensive. The researchers predict that the drug prices will stop increasing at some point of time.

  NH Voice
When something more profitable is created, would be my guess.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

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