Profit Over People--Big Pharma & For Profit Medicine

Driving home around Lake Tahoe last month, I caught a podcast from the New York Times addressing an HIV medication that was the first of its kind at being effective at treating the disease. Unfortunately, it also came with some severe side effects.

The podcast explored how, in the wings, the drug company Gilead also had a more mature version of the same drug with less side effects. Gilead chose to keep 'Tenofovir' on stand by, because it's first incarnation was still protected by patent.

They delayed the newer version's release to extend profits.

Meanwhile, HIV patients everywhere, were suffering with debilitating side effects, such as bone density loss, and kidney problems. A newer and improved version with less dangerous side effects sat idly by on the side lines while people continued to suffer.

Why is profit more important than people? This is happening more often than we know, and recently this sad reality about our health care system has come home to roost in my family.

My beloved Dad has Myelofibrosis. It is a rare form of blood cancer, that causes scarring of the bone marrow, which makes it more difficult for his body to produce healthy blood cells. The medication he has been on for the last 7 years has stopped working, creating symptoms that have been acute.

It was excruciatingly painful to see him suffering when I visited last. I felt so helpless. There was nothing I could do to help. I flew home to my family and job in Northern California/Nevada with a broken heart. It was gut wrenching to leave him.

When we learned the following week, from his oncologist, that there was a new medication, we became hopeful that Dad would experience relief from his symptoms. All he needed to do was get approved for the new medication.

When the response came in, he was denied by his insurance company. The medication, called Ojjaara is a brand-new medication for Myelofibrosis that will be under patent through the year 2035, manufactured by Glaxosmithkline, or GSK.

The price tag on the medication is a staggering 27,000 dollars a month. How do these big pharma executives sleep at night and why are they on the S&P 500?

Something is very wrong with this picture.

My mind was blown, and my heart shattered, again. This is my Dad, my favorite person on earth. How could this be happening? What do people do with chronic diseases who have no options? Suffer in silence?

After appealing, a resolution was reached that he would have to pay 10% of the monthly amount if he wanted to experience relief from the Myelofibrosis. Thankfully, he is in the position to receive the medication, but what happens to those who can’t afford such a hefty price tag?