Thumbs up again to Jagdish. This order included common stuff like 1g ER Metformin; Acarbose, one generic cancer med (I’m being treated for prostate cancer) and one insanely expensive cancer med that I’d rather not name. But that med sells for $3,800 per month! My “share” through Medicare Advantage is $980/month. From Jagdish $109/month.
For those interested, I think it’s an interesting story: How is it that a patented brand name drug that sells for $3,800/month in America be sold by a major drug maker in India for $109/month? That means that it sells, in India for a mere 3% of what it sells for in the USA.
Here’s why: India has a Compulsory License Drug law. If a medication is so expensive in India that most of the population that needs it, cannot afford it, the Courts mandate that it must be allowed to be made in India and a royalty is paid to the manufacturer.
Nexavar, a unique med for kidney cancer was patented by Bayer (Switzerland). “The drug was priced exorbitantly at INR 2.8 (about USD 3350) per month and was hardly reaching 2% of the patients. The court noted this and granted a compulsory licence to Natco, which then sold the drug as Sorafenat at INR 8,800 (about USD 105) a month.”
This is why one sees, in India, four thousand dollar a month meds being sold for 3% of what those in USA pay for it.
Of course that creates a question: Even at my “share,” of $980/month, had I not known Jagdish, I would have been forced to use a much less effective med which ultimately may have caused an early death due to cardiac issues. And that begs the question: If India can do this, why does America not do the same?
Yes, “silly question, silly boy.” This shows the power of the Pharma King(dom). Yet, it’s very complex, take away too much profit and the med that I’m taking may never have been developed.
Also starting in January, my “cap” on my drug spending goes from $8,000 to $2,000 which means that come January, I’ll pay for three months, and then pay nothing for the rest of the year.
Of course, if in fact, my insurance really pays that $3,800/month $45,600/year, then well “Medicare” will pay for it. Oops… that means YOUR taxes will go to pay for my meds, so to any of you taxpayers out there, thank you.
Here’s the timeframe for my package from Jagdish, it may be useful for others:
