3 ms·
Why can't the maker donate the drug? What is the maximum outlay for something that effects 32 people anywhere? Failing that why can't we just collect the money
by michaelmrose 6y ago
Why can't the maker donate the drug? What is the maximum outlay for something that effects 32 people anywhere?
Failing that why can't we just collect the money to pay for it?
- Freak_NL 6y agoBecause drugs that only help a handful of people are excellent bargaining chips for pharmaceutical companies when dealing with national governments for coverage of drugs in national healthcare insurance plans. It's the basic economic law of supply and demand applied to human lives. The same happens (or happened) with the drug that treats Pompe disease, which is currently priced at a sweet spot high enough that enough insurers can cover it to make massive profits (but some refuse to, because the amount of money spent on it can be used to save more lives when invested in other areas).
- howlgarnish 6y agoLiability. If they knowingly give the drug for an unapproved use, and something (anything) bad happens, they're on the hook.