CEO Under Fire For $89,000 Drug Says It Will Cost Patients Only $20
But experts say the arguments that insurance will cover much of a drug’s cost and that patient assistance programs will decrease out-of-pocket expenses don’t always reflect the reality patients face when it comes to pricey drugs.
San Francisco Chronicle:
Pharma CEO Insists $89,000 Drug Will Be Affordable For Patients
When Marathon Pharmaceuticals’ $89,000 price for a year’s supply of its newly approved muscular dystrophy drug sparked outrage this month, the company’s CEO responded with another figure: $20. That’s how much he expects Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients to pay per prescription of the drug, he wrote in a letter posted on the company’s website. Insurers would cover the medication, and patients would pay only their typical co-pays. He touted the company’s patient assistance program to help patients defray out-of-pocket costs. (Schencker, 2/21)
In other pharmaceutical news —