this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2024
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politics

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 89 points 5 months ago

Sanders successfully ran a similar playbook on executives from Merck and Johnson & Johnson earlier this year. Under the threat of subpoena, the company CEOs agreed to testify at a hearing on why companies charge more for medicines in the United States than abroad before the subpoena vote actually happened.

This move is the latest maneuver in Sanders’ boldest pressure campaign yet to browbeat companies into lowering patients’ drug costs. Unlike other targets of Sanders’ ire that were drugs based on decades-old technology or developed in part with federal funding, Novo’s weight loss medicines in particular are innovative, effective, and wildly popular.

This is what fighting for people looks like.

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 66 points 5 months ago (2 children)

The this shit is under $90 usd in many nations. US is like $1000 to $1500, and many insurers won’t cover it.

[–] paraphrand@lemmy.world 24 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Holy shit. I didn’t know that that the situation. It’s so American.

[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 23 points 5 months ago (1 children)

US healthcare is extortion.

[–] Deello@lemm.ee 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Extortion doesn't usually end in death. US healthcare on the other hand...

[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

Extortion rarely ends.

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

I don't believe it's actually $90 anywhere, that must be because of some sort of subsidy.
In Denmark where Novo resides, the price is $200+ for the lowest dose. And Denmark allows parallel import if it can be bought cheaper elsewhere.

USA has a very different market, with extreme penalties in case something goes wrong, that mandates higher self insurance, and sales channels that are almost built for abuse by almost everybody. I seriously doubt Novo makes 6 times more on Wegovy than they do elsewhere. The problem is in the American system.

That said, I agree with Bernie Sanders that there's a problem that needs to be fixed.

EDIT: $200 is for 4 doses enough for 4 weeks.
I bet the insane prices in USA, are mostly due to insurance companies and whole-sellers exploiting the lack of structure and regulation in the US system. Novo cannot take more that those are willing to pay, and if insurance chooses not to cover Wegovy, Novo sells nothing through that company. Insurance companies are in control more than anybody in USA.

[–] azertyfun@sh.itjust.works 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

If the prices are as legitimate as you suggest then surely that will be easily revealed by the subpoena'd accounting books and Novo Nordisk will be cleared of suspicion. Wouldn't that be the system working as intended?

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Oh yes, I'm not against Bernie doing this, but I wouldn't call it the system working as intended, that it's necessary.

[–] frog_brawler@lemmy.world 16 points 5 months ago

Bernie must have watched South Park.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

My ex takes a related medicine for diabetes. It supposedly isn’t useful for weight loss and it is a more reasonable price. However because it’s a related medicine, people are using it for weight loss anyway. Our pharmacy warned us they can’t predictably get more because there’s been a run on it.

[–] MalachaiConstant@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

I'm pretty sure this is happening with ADHD meds too.

[–] nucleative@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

If the pharmacy companies and insurers weren't sleeping together then the insurers might be doing some kind of collective bargaining. But nope.

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