Posted by ttee on May 24, 2006, at 9:30:21
In reply to Re: Emsam: aabag, posted by Iansf on May 24, 2006, at 0:39:00
Some people with TRD can not longer work at all. I had to give up a great job because of it over 3 years ago and am on disability and at the tax payers expense now. One trip to the hospital runs Medicare around 50K. I would gladly pay $5000 a year to be able to work again. If I was able to work, I would have health insurance and it would pay for my Emsam and no more hospital stays. As it is now, I pay no taxes and have much higher than $5000 a year an expense because of it. My lost productivity, income loss, and medical costs are over $10,000 per month. The average annual medical costs for someone with TRD that is disabled is over $80 K per year. All newer meds are expensive. If you’re taking Zyprex and Effexor that will run you more than the cost of Emsam, not including the costs you might get of Diabetes, TD, and a long hospitalization when you eventually taper off of Effexor.
Those who have the lowest incomes are offered free meds from the drug companies. BMS has a program for FREE Emsam for those that a doctor feels could benefit.
Is Emsam going to be the first of second med to use for the majority, I think not. The price and the risk of drug drug reactions are too great. This is the reason why Emsam costs more, because it will never have the sales volume compared to the other AD's (many now generic) and do help a good percentage of those that take them.
Most cancer infusion meds cost over $10,000 a week. Emsam is a bargain compared to those.
I all comes down to volume. If BMS could sell the volume of patches equal to the volume of Lexapro prescriptions, then the price would be similar.
I really don't think the pay of the CEO of BMS is unique in corporate America. I think you will find the same problem in all industries including the necessities of oil, electric power, banks, health insurance, and hospitals.
> <If Emsam worked for me after all the cheaper meds had failed, it would be worth every penny they charged me. >
>
> To the tune of more than $5,000 a year?
> Many people who suffer from long-term depression earn below-average incomes and can in no way afford to pay this kind of price.
> Meanwhile the CEO of BristolMyers Squibb squeezes out a meager livelihood of $40 million a year.
>
>
poster:ttee
thread:642628
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060520/msgs/647731.html