DRUG PRICING

Everybody is bashing the drug companies, about the only time we have heard House Democrats, Senate Republicans and Donald Trump agree on anything.

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Any kind of medication is anathema to me—my preference would be to never take medicine again. That is not a reasonable strategy, however, if you want to prolong your life and have good quality to it. For example, my friend has rheumatoid arthritis, and when he took Humira for 6 years, he found himself to be “normal.” Humira quit working eventually, the RA attacked his lungs, he had a transplant and is now on anti-rejection meds that will prolong his life further. He has a tremendous brain, it is not only good for him and his family, but for society that his life has been prolonged.

My dad died of the complications of multiple myeloma. They treated him with steroids and he lasted about 6 years from diagnosis to death. Another friend was diagnosed with MM 30 years later, and he perished 14 years after diagnosis. Another eight years due to a drug that was roundly condemned by EVERYONE, and rightfully so—thalidomide. Well, he called it “Son of Thalidomide” as it is a slight variation, but many of us will remember the checkered past of that drug. For those of you who don’t know:

·         Invented by German company in 1961

·         Marketed as sleep aid for pregnant women (seemed to treat morning sickness, too?)

·         Caused thousands of babies to be born with tragically deformed limbs

·         A horror show

Now, over a half-century later, with another drug, it is used for leprosy and for MM. My friend said that the precautions warned that women who may become pregnant should not even TOUCH one of the pills.

The drug companies claim they spend billions of dollars on research and development, and the process of getting a drug tested and ready for market is made more complicated, expensive and difficult because of the tragedy of thalidomide and others. Congress, the President and damned near everybody else wants the drugs to be nearly free, despite the obvious impediments.

I know this is leaning into the wind, but a lot of this looks like political theater. None of those politicians want one of their loved ones to be denied medications that work. But we would prefer that they just materialize out of thin air.

Again a discussion where I have little or no background and should just be quiet, but that hasn’t stopped me yet. Wonder how much those folks would pay to find a cure for ALS and MS? Hope a couple of my correspondents who do have background in medicine/pharmacy enlighten me.