Dr. Lucky Tran Jul 23, 2024

A new drug described as “the closest we have ever been to an HIV vaccine” could be sold for $40 a year and still make 30% profit, but is currently being sold by pharma companies for $42,250. Absolutely criminal.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/article/2024/jul/23/hiv-aids-prevention-vaccine-lenacapavir-sunlenca-pharmaceuticals-gilead-generic-licensing

HIV drug could be made for just $40 a year for every patient

Generic version of a drug already on the market, which can suppress and prevent HIV, would still yield 30% profit if the current price was slashed, researchers say

The Guardian
Show threadJack SparrowJul 23, 2024
@luckytran ‘based on the costs of lenacapavir’s ingredients and manufacturing, ’-- the cost in research and development is not taken into consideration. Unless the public funds R&D for new drug development, you cannot ask pharmaceutical companies to consider their cost to be just ingredients and manufacturing.
Show threadBruno Rohée
@jacksparrow @luckytran lots of people dont get that the price is even more than R&D for the medecine amortized + ingredients and overheads. The winners (meds that get to the market) somehow must pay for all the R&D of those that don't. A fair economic model is a very hard thing to find, but the Guardian simplistic take doesn't help. The "it can be made cheaper if more people take it/it got to be cheaper for more people to take it" conundrum is hard to solve...
Jul 24, 2024 at 3:01amWeb