Like others on this site, I also follow the FH Group on Facebook. Today, there was a link to a Canadian site about the prevalence of FH in Quebec. The statement that really stood out was the cost of medication for one patient, about $2000 a month.
I have done my fair share of moaning on this site, but thank goodness for the NHS in this country. I still think it's a great principle despite everything.
There is information about the cost of statins somewhere in nhs.uk. I think, when I last saw it, Simvastatin was about £4 for 56 40mg tablets, whereas Atorvastatin was £12-16, but hasn't the Lipitor/Atorvastatin patent expired recently?
It's a funny market in the UK, with one buyer dominating, but one that risks a lot of criticism whenever it doesn't agree to buy. Meanwhile, the stupid patent laws (are chemical reactions to produce drugs really inventions rather than discoveries?) often give monopolies to one supplier for one drug, yet somehow those suppliers don't get the same level of criticism when they don't agree to sell vital health-preserving/restoring treatments.
The medication is only a small part of the cost, though.
facebook.com/groups/4709883...
Sorry, not a great IT expert. Or go via HEART UK website. I'm not a great Facebook user, but this is an open group and very international.
Please rest assured that I would never ever buy prescription drugs off the internet and never ever advise anybody to do so, but my research tells me that 10mg rosuvastatin costs £1.71 a pill if you buy 120 . 10mg Lipitor is 29p a pill, I think this is because it has just come off patent.
Am I worrying over nothing? FH?
Found this great research material "Versmissen, Jorie thesis on FH.pdf" Full of fascinating info. Would love your feedback.
