High Cost of Drugs - Public Funding & Private Marketing

[Darryl]

A 12 minute video on public funding and private marketing of drug development. Please watch and discuss nyti.ms/2hCSecy

[TommyTV]

Here's the thing...

Aberaterone was developed with public funding by Cancer Research UK. As a research company, it could not afford the cost of clinical trials, so licensed its patent to a drug company. Cancer Research UK has received substantial fees from its licence to pay for further cancer research.

However, initially, the drug company wanted to charge our NHS around £2800 per month for this drug. NICE which licences drugs for the UK, measured the cost/benefit on their existing data and refused a licence in the U.K.

After further negotiations, it has been agreed that the company would only charge for the first 10 months of use, thereafter supplying the drug FOC to the NHS.

I've now been taking Aberaterone for 5 years as part of the Stampede trial here in the U.K. My initial diagnosis was PSA 600+, Gleason 7, multiple bone mets (7). I'm still quite well apart from the effects of no testosterone, muscle wastage. Fairly pain free apart from grumbling femurs and one rib. Still alive though!

[Hidden]

The patent system looks to be unworkable for drugs. A cost-plus system is an alternative possibility that works to secure weapons. It might work for drugs.