LINK Merck Sells Covid Pill for 40 Times What It Costs to Make
"A FIVE-DAY COURSE of molnupiravir, the new medicine being hailed as a “huge advance” in the treatment of Covid-19, costs $17.74 to produce, according to a report issued last week by drug pricing experts at the Harvard School of Public Health and King’s College Hospital in London. Merck is charging the U.S. government $712 for the same amount of medicine, or 40 times the price."
Fucking infuriating.
8
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6 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Reminds me of a story of a nut and bolt company that did business with government. First order was around $200. They sent a invoice to govt and it was paid promptly. After that they kept inflating the bill more and more to where they were charging government tens of thousands of dollar for $200 worth of nuts and bolts. Eventually over several years they defrauded $17 million dollars and were eventually caught but the fact they were no oversight of the money was ridiculous
abyers1970
Level 7
Oct 7, 2021
1
Call me sarcastic, but I'm surprised it isn't more.
Beowulfsfriend
Level 9
Oct 7, 2021
0
This multi-billion dollar business of disease is only concerned about making money. That’s it. If people die, as is often the case even using the drug properly, doesn’t matter. Your a number. A customer.
I’ll point out when it comes to emergency intervention, the US ABSOLUTELY has the top system in the world……if I’m in a car accident I’ll be the first to say use drugs and surgery to fix it up. But it ends there. When it comes to teaching how to avoid illness, alternatives to drugs, and maintaining long term good health……it is totally third rate……but even in countries with national health systems isn’t really too much better.
CuddyCruiser
Level 8
Oct 7, 2021
1
I can't wait until November to see the Medicare and insurance increases we are all going to have to pay because of crap like this.
Lorajay
Level 9
Oct 7, 2021
1
Most of my benefits have gone up (lower copays) and the cost has gone down on my Advantage Plan.
I had to edit my original response. Is a five day treatment $712? Yes this is crazy.
Flowerwall
Level 7
Oct 7, 2021
1
Yes, and it costs less than $18 to produce, and NIH & DOD funds were used in its creation.
@JonnaBononna Well if what you say is true the negociating tactics of the govt are either really bad or deliberately bad. Shouldn't the end cost have been a negotiating point as it related to profitability and the use of govt funds given we are in the midst of a pandemic? Surely the cost to consumers must get factored in at some point?
It is issues such at these that foster mistrust. Whose best interests are truly being served here?
Additionally, how can anyone ever think M4A would be a good idea when you look at this scenario?
@Flowerwall profit needs to to be taken out of the system entirely
@JonnaBononna No it doesn't, but you do need to build smart systems around it.
@Flowerwall it shouldn't be in there at all in my opinion. Profit motivates them to find treatments, but not cures.
@JonnaBononna Treatments can often show the pathway to a cure, if one is available. True scientists aren't concerned with profiteering. They are concerned with science, so I don't think we need to worry about treatments getting in their way.
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