What the F*&%!

If you have not read this blog, do so - NOW.



Go ahead, I'll wait.

Now, check this out.

Mother has already started chemo. She's receiving Gemzar once a week for two weeks, with one week off. Before the chemo goes in, they are giving her an antinausea med & steriods. In a couple of weeks, she'll start Xeloda, an oral chemo that she'll take twice a day. I was able to look this drug up on a Canadian pharmacy site and an American site. The drug from Canada, same dosage, is $9.95 cheaper - PER PILL.

Now, I don't know how much exactly all these meds are costing her after insurance. And she is fortunate enough to have insurance. But I do know that there is something drastically wrong with a system that allows for that kind of price difference!

Here's a look at part of the Lily (maker of Gemzar) financials:


Now, I'm not a financial guru, nor do I play one on TV. However, from my understanding, the US sales, including Puerto Rico accounts for 78% of the income for Gemzar yet outside the US is actually buying more of this drug. To me, that shows that the rest of the world is paying a FRACTION of what it's costing Americans to get this drug. I don't know if this is making any sense or not as I type it out. In my head it's clear, so if it's not coming through, or if my math is wrong (and it very well could be) please let me know.

I guess this rambling is about what the drug companies are making off someone's life line. These drugs are great, no doubt. And new drugs do take money to develop. However, I'd really like to know how much their CEO's make. Or how much their sales reps are making. Because something is totally whacked with a system that can charge over double for a pill just because it's sold within the United States of America. And there are people out there that are in desperate need of these drugs, but cannot afford it. They have to choose death over life because they don't have the money to pay for life. And in the mean time, the owners/runners of these drug companies are living the good life. Something is just wrong with this picture.