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How big pharma rips us off

Dittohead not!

Dittohead not!

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Big Pharma's Latest Trick Is Combining Cheap Generic Drugs into Insanely Expensive Single Tablets















One common way to save on sky-rocketing prescription drug costs is to go with the generic version, when available. But now, drug companies—not content with simply nickel-and-dimming consumers on brand name drugs—have found a new way to cash in on the cheaper prescriptions.


Pharmaceutical companies like Pernix Therapeutics Holdings Inc. are selling tablets that combine inexpensive generic drugs into single tablets that are then priced hundreds of dollars higher than the individual medications, the Wall Street Journal reports.
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Whether the patient is paying out of pocket, or whether the government or the health insurance is paying most of the cost, this is still an outrageous ripoff.


Most people don't even know what their medications cost, as the real cost is subsidized in one way or another, but whether it's tax money or money from health care premiums, there still is no free lunch.
 
I'll just add that the government also underwrites much of their research, so we are in effect paying them to come up with new ways to screw us over.

I think Big Pharma is at this point in history the ultimate expression of Capitalism.
 
Trump said he was going to fix drug prices.

It's getting worse on his watch, not better.
 
Dittohead not! said:
Big Pharma's Latest Trick Is Combining Cheap Generic Drugs into Insanely Expensive Single Tablets


















Whether the patient is paying out of pocket, or whether the government or the health insurance is paying most of the cost, this is still an outrageous ripoff.


Most people don't even know what their medications cost, as the real cost is subsidized in one way or another, but whether it's tax money or money from health care premiums, there still is no free lunch.
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That's like Epipen, though, right? Insulin is relatively cheap, but they made an injection mechanism and then sell it for significantly more.

Trump said he'd do something about prescription drug prices, I thought that would be nice and one piece in the puzzle to get medical care prices under control. But I haven't seen much of an impact on that yet.
 
America develops all the new pharmaceuticals. Why? Because companies can make money here.
 
You seem to be forgetting why insulin is always given via injection. Diabetes requires getting insulin in the blood directly. It is not a simple "make the pancreas produce insulin" thing like with the brain, liver, and thyroid hormones. And they need blood sugar ASAP.
 
Dittohead not! said:
Big Pharma's Latest Trick Is Combining Cheap Generic Drugs into Insanely Expensive Single Tablets


















Whether the patient is paying out of pocket, or whether the government or the health insurance is paying most of the cost, this is still an outrageous ripoff.


Most people don't even know what their medications cost, as the real cost is subsidized in one way or another, but whether it's tax money or money from health care premiums, there still is no free lunch.
Click to expand...

What they are doing is mounting a collateral attack on compounding pharmacies with this. but whatever.
 
Ikari said:
That's like Epipen, though, right? Insulin is relatively cheap, but they made an injection mechanism and then sell it for significantly more.

Trump said he'd do something about prescription drug prices, I thought that would be nice and one piece in the puzzle to get medical care prices under control. But I haven't seen much of an impact on that yet.
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Trump doesn't understand healthcare.. so its not surprising he doesn't have an answer that works.
 
Trump does not care about drug prices. If he did, he would want to drastically increase Medicare Part D funding.
 
Blue Donkey said:
Trump does not care about drug prices. If he did, he would want to drastically increase Medicare Part D funding.
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Doing so might help the patient, but wouldn't help curb the soaring cost of drugs. Big pharma is ripping us off. One way they rip us off is by combining two different generic drugs that cost a few cents each, and selling the result as a "new" drug for hundreds of dollars a month. The public lets them get away with it because the costs are hidden by government subsidies. Then, they claim that the money they make is going into research and development, that the US is the only one developing new drugs, and if we don't let them have their outrageous profiteering from already known medications, there won't be any more progress in developing new ones. Meanwhile, most of the money they spend is spent on advertising and marketing. All you have to do is turn on the TV a few minutes to see a commercial touting some overly expensive medication or other, and you'll see what they're really spending on.
 
Rogue Valley said:
Trump said he was going to fix drug prices.

It's getting worse on his watch, not better.
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Everything trump said was just to get elected.

People need to stop acting like it's a surprise he lied, and recognize it was all lies as far as he's concerned. Instead, mock his supporters when they refer to his promising something. 'LOL ya, like fixing drug prices? Raising taxes on the rich? Getting lobbyists out of the government?'
 
Craig234 said:
Everything trump said was just to get elected.

People need to stop acting like it's a surprise he lied, and recognize it was all lies as far as he's concerned. Instead, mock his supporters when they refer to his promising something. 'LOL ya, like fixing drug prices? Raising taxes on the rich? Getting lobbyists out of the government?'
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What? You mean you don't think Mexico will pay for the wall???
 
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