neverwhere

corruptpolitics:

Next week, the cost of preventing premature childbirth will skyrocket when a drug given to high-risk pregnant women goes from around $10 a dose to $1,500 a dose. The drug, called Makena, which has been made cheaply for years and is given as a weekly shot, could make the total cost during a pregnancy as much as $30,000. Why? Because KV Pharmaceutical of St. Louis recently won FDA approval to exclusively sell Makena last month.

By receiving “orphan drug status,” KV’s subsidiary Ther-RX Corp. will now be “the sole source of the drug for seven years.” In justifying the 14,900 percent price hike, KV Pharmaceuticals says that pregnant women will be willing to pay the new price because if they don’t, they could have a premature baby, or “preemie,” which could cost much much more:

The cost is justified to avoid the mental and physical disabilities that can come with very premature births, said KV Pharmaceutical chief executive Gregory J. Divis Jr. The cost of care for a preemie is estimated at $51,000 in the first year alone.

“Makena can help offset some of those costs,” Divis told The Associated Press. “These moms deserve the opportunity to have the benefits of an FDA-approved Makena.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is not involved in setting the price for the drugs it approves.

Read More.

Is this the market that works for everyone? Or is this the market that works only for the rich? I think we know the answer. This is what happens when you can do whatever you want in the market, no matter how many people suffer for your gain. This company isn’t worried about competition, they smashed it. There is no competition. They’ve stopped any other company from producing cheap versions of this drug and now they are the only option left except no one can afford them. Profit isn’t a justification. It might be this country’s only motivator but it makes sick shit like this not only possible, but acceptable. This is fucked up and this is wrong.

Way to go, STL.