Community Chat

[hckynut]

@itiswhatitis

You see the United States of America from your view and it is what you want to see it as being. I will spare those that might read my post from having all caps, and bolded.  

hckynut(john)

[Stray]

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@momtochloe wrote:

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@Stray wrote:

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@esmeraldagooch wrote:

There are others also.

@esmeraldagooch- as a nurse, I used the ampules but I am a nurse.  The problem with the ampule is that it is multiple dose and in an emergency under duress, a larger dose can be drawn up and kill someone, especially a child.  There is also the matter of contamination because it is open at the top not like a vial which has a seal...so a lay person may inadvertently contaminate the vial.  It's different if the injection is routine but it is an emergency medication.  It is a solution but not a good substitute for the pen which is fast, clean and exact.  I am glad the generic will be available 

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I just want to say one thing.  I took care of my diabetic mother for a long time and staying on a diabetic menu was not high on her list of things to do.  I did everything I could to try and keep her on track but there did come a time when I was faced with having to inject her with insulin which completely freaked me out.  I made my peace with other medical procedures throughout the years but that one shoved me over the edge.

Luckily, Januvia was introduced around the same time and saved me from having to do actual injections which I cannot even begin to tell you how much I appreciated it as the thought of having to inject a person with lifesaving medicine in an acute situation like an allergic reaction is beyond comprehension for me.  It took me months to get used to testing my mom's blood sugar every day but having to react to a medical emergency like that is beyond the pale.  

These Epi-Pens literally save lives.  They should not be priced to be unreachable to any person that literally needs lifesaving help.

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@momtochloe-to me, it is unconscionable that this could happen here!  I am not for regulating or capping prices but I am against price gauging and greed.  This is an old drug and has been used as long as I can remember....it's not experimental.  if there are other options out there with the same function and results, raise your prices through the roof because there is still CHOICE.  But, a life saving drug, an old and proven one,  from one company should not happen here in the first place but there should be a penalty for gauging prices during a shortage....didn't and don't we do this with gas???  

[momtochloe]

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@Stray wrote:

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@momtochloe wrote:

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@Stray wrote:

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@esmeraldagooch wrote:

There are others also.

@esmeraldagooch- as a nurse, I used the ampules but I am a nurse.  The problem with the ampule is that it is multiple dose and in an emergency under duress, a larger dose can be drawn up and kill someone, especially a child.  There is also the matter of contamination because it is open at the top not like a vial which has a seal...so a lay person may inadvertently contaminate the vial.  It's different if the injection is routine but it is an emergency medication.  It is a solution but not a good substitute for the pen which is fast, clean and exact.  I am glad the generic will be available 

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I just want to say one thing.  I took care of my diabetic mother for a long time and staying on a diabetic menu was not high on her list of things to do.  I did everything I could to try and keep her on track but there did come a time when I was faced with having to inject her with insulin which completely freaked me out.  I made my peace with other medical procedures throughout the years but that one shoved me over the edge.

Luckily, Januvia was introduced around the same time and saved me from having to do actual injections which I cannot even begin to tell you how much I appreciated it as the thought of having to inject a person with lifesaving medicine in an acute situation like an allergic reaction is beyond comprehension for me.  It took me months to get used to testing my mom's blood sugar every day but having to react to a medical emergency like that is beyond the pale.  

These Epi-Pens literally save lives.  They should not be priced to be unreachable to any person that literally needs lifesaving help.

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@momtochloe-to me, it is unconscionable that this could happen here!  I am not for regulating or capping prices but I am against price gauging and greed.  This is an old drug and has been used as long as I can remember....it's not experimental.  if there are other options out there with the same function and results, raise your prices through the roof because there is still CHOICE.  But, a life saving drug, an old and proven one,  from one company should not happen here in the first place but there should be a penalty for gauging prices during a shortage....didn't and don't we do this with gas???  

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Exactly @Stray this has been my angst from the beginning of the thread.  This is not new technology, there is no R&D involved so how did this price escalate to this point?

Again, please know I have a huge problem with big pharma but this is just another example of how they charge exorbitant amounts of money for drugs that don't warrant that type of increase.

[itiswhatitis]

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@hckynut wrote:

@itiswhatitis

You see the United States of America from your view and it is what you want to see it as being. I will spare those that might read my post from having all caps, and bolded.  

hckynut(john)

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I have no clue about what you just said.  You went down history lane, I asked you a simple question.  You implied that what I know factually isn't true.  It is true.  I'm good with that.  You should be too.  What might be the problem?

Maybe you ought to worry about your own font size.  I've never seen it smaller.  Sometimes I like to "measure up" to those I'm conversing with.

[Stray]

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@momtochloe wrote:

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@Stray wrote:

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@momtochloe wrote:

---

@Stray wrote:

---

@esmeraldagooch wrote:

There are others also.

@esmeraldagooch- as a nurse, I used the ampules but I am a nurse.  The problem with the ampule is that it is multiple dose and in an emergency under duress, a larger dose can be drawn up and kill someone, especially a child.  There is also the matter of contamination because it is open at the top not like a vial which has a seal...so a lay person may inadvertently contaminate the vial.  It's different if the injection is routine but it is an emergency medication.  It is a solution but not a good substitute for the pen which is fast, clean and exact.  I am glad the generic will be available 

---

I just want to say one thing.  I took care of my diabetic mother for a long time and staying on a diabetic menu was not high on her list of things to do.  I did everything I could to try and keep her on track but there did come a time when I was faced with having to inject her with insulin which completely freaked me out.  I made my peace with other medical procedures throughout the years but that one shoved me over the edge.

Luckily, Januvia was introduced around the same time and saved me from having to do actual injections which I cannot even begin to tell you how much I appreciated it as the thought of having to inject a person with lifesaving medicine in an acute situation like an allergic reaction is beyond comprehension for me.  It took me months to get used to testing my mom's blood sugar every day but having to react to a medical emergency like that is beyond the pale.  

These Epi-Pens literally save lives.  They should not be priced to be unreachable to any person that literally needs lifesaving help.

---

@momtochloe-to me, it is unconscionable that this could happen here!  I am not for regulating or capping prices but I am against price gauging and greed.  This is an old drug and has been used as long as I can remember....it's not experimental.  if there are other options out there with the same function and results, raise your prices through the roof because there is still CHOICE.  But, a life saving drug, an old and proven one,  from one company should not happen here in the first place but there should be a penalty for gauging prices during a shortage....didn't and don't we do this with gas???  

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Exactly @Stray this has been my angst from the beginning of the thread.  This is not new technology, there is no R&D involved so how did this price escalate to this point?

Again, please know I have a huge problem with big pharma but this is just another example of how they charge exorbitant amounts of money for drugs that don't warrant that type of increase.l

@momtochloe- I just can't understand it myself.  I was a nurse for 50 years and used epinephrine my entire career.  If the manufacturer of the pen increased cost dramatically, then, they could have approached other companies who use self administration pens and worked to develope an alternative.  What's the sense of having new drugs or spending a fortune on R&D and the population can't access them....ludicrous.  The FDA knew a monopoly would be created when they pull one drug and hold up approval on another.  Guidelines and penalties should also have been created to prevent gauging such as this.  

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[nominom]

The same drug can be bought in other countries for a fraction of the cost.  Yes, this is price gouging and greed.  I'm not one to jump on "we need more regulations" bandwagon but something needs to be done with the out of control drug pricing in this country.  

[Shorty2U]

The company acquired the rights to the epi pen (which was developed decades ago with taxpayer money), hikes the price though the roof, and lobbies Congress to get them in every school. Then RE locates outside of the country to dodge taxes equals GREED.

And the new pen this same company made is 300, better but still too much. I hope other companies make the pen more affordable (and make millions of dollars for doing the right thing), when people go to them instead.

Lastly about medicines in general; my old family Dr tried to put me on a med for cholesterol at 200 a month out of pocket after insurance!. I couldn't afford it and told him. He got mad and said he couldn't help me with my cholesterol and sent me to cardiology. Yep because Drs work hand in hand with these pharmacy companies, making big money to push certain meds.

Well anyway I fired my Dr, see ya good bye! And got a new one. There are other drugs out there and no one was going to tell me I had to take a pill paying 200 a month out of pocket!. Pfffff.

Moral of the story; they all should have competition. Maybe then they wouldnt be so "greedy"

[Tinkrbl44]

I've been thinking about what's the fastest way to stop the price gouging ......     and think new guidelines and VERY steep fines are the way to go.   Make it public .... and people will definitely report those companies that violate the guidelines.

Can someone else think of another way that would be even faster?

[SahmIam]

The cost of the new pack of generic will be $300; a 50% discount. 

To me, that's STILL way too much. It's generic being offered by the SAME company that pays roughly $20 to make......and that was the BEST PRICE IT COULD OFFER?!

Generics, in my world, bring the cost of a drug done to zero (due to insurance plan). Sometimes $5.  Without the insurance, the cost of the drug drops around 80% percent without insurance.

I don't know; this smacks even MORE of greed than the original pen. Granted, they didn't have to offer anything, but I think for many, this is going to make the cost of purchasing 3 sets not much less of a burden (we're still talking almost $1000).

[hckynut]

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

IT WAS JUST A QUESTION.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO YOUR OPINION.  I'VE SEE SOME POST THAT WOULD SAY THE PRICE SHOULD BE REGULATED AND CAPS PUT ON DRUGS.  I'M SURE YOU'VE READ THEM.  I DIDN'T SAY I AGREE WITH THAT.  NOWHERE HAVE I SAID THAT.

THEY ARE NOT BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT.  IT IS HOW OUR COUNTRY OPERATES.  WE HAVE A DUAL ECONOMY.  ONE WHERE THE FREE MARKET AND SOCIALISM IS PART OF IT.

YOU'LL NEED TO SETTLE YOURSELF ON THAT BECAUSE IT IS WHAT IT IS.

YES, ASIDE FROM THE FREE MARKET CAPITALIST MODEL WE ALSO HAVE THE SOCIALIST MODEL.  OUR REPUBLIC IS NOT A FULL ON SOCIALIST COUNTRY BUT WE DO HAVE SOME ASPECTS OF IT.  YOU'LL NEED TO SETTLE YOURSELF WITH THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.  ARE YOU UNDER THE IMPRESSION WE ARE A DEMOCRACY?  WE ARE A REPUBLIC WITH DEMOCRACY AS A FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

I ASKED A QUESTION.  I MADE NO INFERENCES ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.

 @itiswhatitis

Maybe this will jog your memory(bold, all caps)

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