4 ms·

American prices are not high because they pay for R+D. For the medicines, maybe. I'm epileptic, and the equipment that was used for my treatment in India was co

American prices are not high because they pay for R+D. For the medicines, maybe. I'm epileptic, and the equipment that was used for my treatment in India was consistently better than the one my neurologist used for examination when I moved here. Essential drugs are cheap because of not paying for R+D, plus government subsidies.

lake99 12y ago
> Essential drugs are cheap because of not paying for R+D Not sure I'd agree there. In the west, even mundane drugs that don't need all that R&D, like common painkillers, antibiotics, vitamins, etc. are expensive. I think the issue in the west stems from regulations that make it difficult for new players to penetrate the market, even for generics. Running a cartel becomes easier that way. Compare [1] and [2]. [1] http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/tylenol/ID=957-brand http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/tylenol/ID=957-brand [2] http://www.medindia.net/drug-price/acetaminophen/crocin-500mg.htm http://www.medindia.net/drug-price/acetaminophen/crocin-500m...
- theoutlander 12y ago
  A medication that I take daily costs about $35 per month after insurance covers part of it. I get a years supply from India for ~ $11. The identical pill.
  - lake99 12y ago
    There seem to be quite a few of us chronics on this thread! My own meds cost about US-1200$ and IN-100$, per month. But I find it understandable in my own case... the drug is new, and the patent is nowhere near expiring. In case you were telling me the price because you thought I disagreed that it's cheaper in India, I don't. My point was R&D cost is not the reason why common drugs are cheaper.
- praneshp 12y ago
  Hey, I meant essential drugs in India! Sorry for the confusion. Also, the term I should have used was "Life saving drugs". An example would be Sorbitrate (http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/sorbitrate http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/sorbitrate). Crocin is not something that falls in that category in India.
  - lake99 12y ago
    I'm afraid I don't get your point. Isosorbide dinitride costs about US-35$-75$ [1] and IN-0.4$ [2], about 100 tablets in both cases. The patent was published in 1979, so it should have long expired by now, and would be a generic drug[3]. Whatever the German company spent on R&D would have been recovered before the patent expired. [1] http://www.goodrx.com/isosorbide-dinitrate http://www.goodrx.com/isosorbide-dinitrate [2] http://medlineindia.com/cardiovascular/isosorbide_dinitrate.htm http://medlineindia.com/cardiovascular/isosorbide_dinitrate.... [3] http://www.google.com/patents/US4156736 http://www.google.com/patents/US4156736
    - praneshp 12y ago
      My point is somewhat similar to yours. R+D is only one reason pushing drug prices up. But some life saving drugs are cheaper in India because the government subsidizes their cost, which doesn't happen in the US.

lake99 12y ago

> Essential drugs are cheap because of not paying for R+D Not sure I'd agree there. In the west, even mundane drugs that don't need all that R&D, like common painkillers, antibiotics, vitamins, etc. are expensive. I think the issue in the west stems from regulations that make it difficult for new players to penetrate the market, even for generics. Running a cartel becomes easier that way. Compare [1] and [2]. [1] http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/tylenol/ID=957-brand http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/tylenol/ID=957-brand [2] http://www.medindia.net/drug-price/acetaminophen/crocin-500mg.htm http://www.medindia.net/drug-price/acetaminophen/crocin-500m...

theoutlander 12y ago
A medication that I take daily costs about $35 per month after insurance covers part of it. I get a years supply from India for ~ $11. The identical pill.
- lake99 12y ago
  There seem to be quite a few of us chronics on this thread! My own meds cost about US-1200$ and IN-100$, per month. But I find it understandable in my own case... the drug is new, and the patent is nowhere near expiring. In case you were telling me the price because you thought I disagreed that it's cheaper in India, I don't. My point was R&D cost is not the reason why common drugs are cheaper.
praneshp 12y ago
Hey, I meant essential drugs in India! Sorry for the confusion. Also, the term I should have used was "Life saving drugs". An example would be Sorbitrate (http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/sorbitrate http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/sorbitrate). Crocin is not something that falls in that category in India.
- lake99 12y ago
  I'm afraid I don't get your point. Isosorbide dinitride costs about US-35$-75$ [1] and IN-0.4$ [2], about 100 tablets in both cases. The patent was published in 1979, so it should have long expired by now, and would be a generic drug[3]. Whatever the German company spent on R&D would have been recovered before the patent expired. [1] http://www.goodrx.com/isosorbide-dinitrate http://www.goodrx.com/isosorbide-dinitrate [2] http://medlineindia.com/cardiovascular/isosorbide_dinitrate.htm http://medlineindia.com/cardiovascular/isosorbide_dinitrate.... [3] http://www.google.com/patents/US4156736 http://www.google.com/patents/US4156736
  - praneshp 12y ago
    My point is somewhat similar to yours. R+D is only one reason pushing drug prices up. But some life saving drugs are cheaper in India because the government subsidizes their cost, which doesn't happen in the US.