The pharmaceutical money train
October 21st, 2009 by Rhiannon Bowman in Biz, News
Yesterday, on NPR, I heard a news piece about a pharmaceutical company, Merck, trying to convince governments and parents that young men need a $130 shot to prevent the human papilloma virus (aka HPV). Scientists say the boys don’t need it, but the pharmaceutical company thinks they should get it anyway — just to be sure.
Something to note: At no time did anyone from the pharmaceutical company say, “This is important. If your government orders in bulk, our costs will go down, so, here’s what we’ll do: We’ll give you a price break. And, that’s not all, if you buy now, we’ll cut the price by half because the young men of the world really, really, really, really need this vaccine.”
No, they didn’t do that. The vaccine isn’t that important for young men and, if they want the drug individually, they can always buy it on their own.
But, as good business people with shareholders to feed, guess they owe it to themselves to try to sign up a client that could potentially buy millions of doses. (In case you can’t do math in your head: 10 million doses multiplied by $130 equals $1,300,000,000. Oh, and you need three of them.)
I turned off the radio thinking, “What a racket.” The vaccine, by the way, is recommended for girls by the time they reach 11. ELEVEN. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. Good work, pharmaceutical companies. Way to lock down a market.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest numbers — which aren’t very current — we’re talking roughly 30 million girls. In other words, $11.7 billion worth of $130 shots for one vaccine.
Then, today, I read that the state of North Carolina just won a $3.5 million settlement from four drug makers who have been scamming Medicaid.
Pffft. What do these companies care about a paltry few million dollars, split four ways? Probably not much. That’s one corporate retreat in Utah, one CEO bonus. That’s not appropriate punishment for defrauding our government.
Meanwhile, be sure to take your pills today. I’m sure you really, really, really, really need them all. Your doctor said so, right? (Next time ask them how much money they get for your prescription from the pharmaceutical companies.)
October 21st, 2009 at 12:26 pm
If this is the drug I am thinking it is, this is for girls not young men right?
Anyways I remember that some government officials wanted to make this shot a required thing or were going to buy it. I agree with grooms almost completely on this. Especially since it is only useful for sexually active girls and it only covers about a third of the known types of this virus. This drug is practically useless.
The one area I will disagree with Grooms on is that he demonizes the company which cannot make you buy this and ignores the history where some government people were getting involved with the usual government force to push this vaccine. Don’t fear companies, FEAR GOVERNMENT. The founding father knew a powerful central government would be dangerous. This is just one of many examples. The current health care nightmare bill is yet another example.
Here is a link to help Grooms out.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7240619
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:57 am
Hey all, I found very important information about Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Check this
http://doctoruncle.blogspot.com/2009/10/sexually-transmitted-disease-std.html
October 26th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Yet another Democrat lie discovered.
No big profits for the evil insurance companies. It turns out that health insurance companies are actually at the low end of the profit tree.
apnews.myway.com/article/20091025/D9BI4D6O1.html