Forum: Author Hangout

I always accepted that the drug companies needed to have high prices for new drugs to cover the R&D to develop those drugs. No longer.

I went to my cornea eye surgeon today. She told me about an eye drop for dry eyes that is new. Well, new in the U.S. It's been available over-the-counter in Europe. Bausch and Lomb bought the patent here (or something like that) and is selling it as a prescription in the U.S. But it's not covered by insurance and is $2,000 a bottle. And a bottle lasts about a month. So $24,000/year for something that's over-the-counter in Europe.

That's bullshit!

Rant over.

Try searching Canadian mail-order pharmacies. Or homeopathic treatments. No insurer will cover those costs, yet the medications are usually cheap enough you won't need the extra coverage. I've been using them for the last … forty-five years.

The bigger issue is that, currently, the pharmacological industries would rather prolong conditions than resolve them, as 'curing' anything is seen as a financial loss. That's why happens when you operate from a cost-control profitability rather than a 'first do no harm' basis.

There is a new scam in the UK, where Investment Firms buy up veterinary practices and immediately double (at least) the cost of all treatments and medicines at that practice.

The IF also 'gamify' treatment, in that they award 'points' to all the practices in their portfolio. Giving points to the practice for treatments carried out, with certain medical interventions gaining higher points than other treatments. At the end of the month, practices with the highest points gain perks, like either financial staff bonuses or corporate away days, money towards the Christmas party, etc etc.

Totally unexpectedly, this has led to treatments being carried out that are not required, or not in the patients best interest.

Also, totally unexpectedly, this has led to an increase in otherwise healthy animals being put down because their owners can no longer afford treatment for previously affordable conditions.

Even more totally unexpectedly, is that Vet's are now pushing their clients into pre-payment and insurance policies, where if they pay monthly 'insurance', they will gain a 50% reduction in the cost of medicine/treatment at the practice. 50% off bills that increased 100% when the practice was taken over. An absolute bargain!

And the vets whose practices are being bought out? Non disclosure agreements and caveat's that if they leave the practice, they are not allowed to set up competing practices within one hundred miles.

Ahh, the joyous smell of capitalism and how it enriches all our lives.

I went to my cornea eye surgeon today. She told me about an eye drop for dry eyes that is new. Well, new in the U.S. It's been available over-the-counter in Europe. Bausch and Lomb bought the patent here (or something like that) and is selling it as a prescription in the U.S. But it's not covered by insurance and is $2,000 a bottle. And a bottle lasts about a month. So $24,000/year for something that's over-the-counter in Europe.

Donald Trump is blaming Europe for inflated US pharmaceutical pricing and has implemented large tariffs as punishment :-(

AJ