well, deri, i was not talking about tyrenol and
asperine either. i was staying in a dr.'s house when
in zamboanga. an yes, people are desperate and will do
what desperate people will do. i have also saw first
hand the cost of bringing a drug to market. i am not
without feelings for the people, at the same time, the
companies are not shooting b.s. about the cost of
research. if i had the answers, i'd probably be rich
myself. i pointed out some of this so that the
discussion would have some facts on both sides. there
is both sides. to know if the drug companies are
making more than 6% of capital and research, then they
are charging too much. if theyare making less than 4%,
then they are not doing right by their investor, ie:
stock holders. 4% will after taxes will not allow for
a dividen and continued research. i wish we had better
answers. everyone on this list would be happy if it
were just simple as "cut the price." it is emotional
becouse it does affect people and is life and death.
but, it is also ecconomics. no dividen for long enough
and you'll not have investers. nor will you get the
next generation of drugs.
--- Deri James <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> On Sunday 04 May 2003 7:51 pm, you wrote:
> > i have been in the 3 of the philippine islands,
> > mexico, and some of the carribean islands, we
> have
> > mission trips to hatti. my experence is that every
> > drug companny sells are a far reduced rate to
> these
> > countries than they do at home in the u.s. this is
> > actual experience. i am not talking "a friend of a
> > friend told me," or "the editorial page said
> this."
> > this is actual experience.
> >
>
> Ken,
>
> I was not talking about drugs which get rid of a
> hedache or numb depression
> (some of which are now out of patent), I meant the
> drugs which (if you have a
> certain condition) stop you from dying of that
> condition.
>
> How do you feel aabout the Swiss company which makes
> Glivec (treats certain
> forms of leukaemia - but you must continue taking
> the drug)? They received
> FDA approval in record time largely due to an
> extremely successful trial in
> South Korea. Once the FDA approval was given the
> free doses for the drug was
> withdrawn and the full price ($1300 per month) was
> imposed. Given the average
> wage in Korea and the fact these were terminally ill
> people (so unlikely to
> be in employment), the drug company are saying
> "thank you for your help in
> getting FDA approval (which will be worth billions
> to us over the next 30
> years) - you can die now".
>
> According to Cipla (the Indian manufacturer who
> makes "generic" versions of
> other life saving drugs) the Glivec capsules can be
> made, packaged, shipped
> for about 80 cents each (with a profit).
> Incidentally, Beth, the whole Indian
> generics industry is to be shutdown next year, the
> Indian parliament finally
> buckled under extreme US pressure threatening
> draconian trade sanctions -
> just leaves Brazil as a holdout.
>
> I watched an extremely interesting program on this
> the other night:-
>
>
http://www.channel4.co.uk/health/microsites/D/dying_for_drugs/index.html
>
> It seemed very well researched, and the web site
> provides links to many
> primary sources to ratify the information given in
> the programme. At least
> none of the drug companies have issued writs against
> the programme makers
> yet, and they could probably afford to do so if they
> thought the damning
> information was untrue.
>
> Cheers
>
> Deri


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