Comments on: “Me-too” drugs fuel rising costs

By: syam

syam — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:23:57 +0000

this was really usefull

By: Al Landon

Al Landon — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:21:29 +0000

Linda’s comment exemplifies one of the critical problems with the insurance industry. They do make decisions that should be left to doctors and their patients. My doctor once wrote a prescription for me for a generic allergy medication. Since their was an OTC option, the insurance would not cover it. Further, the OTC option was more than double what the generic cost would have been for the prescription option that my doctor preferred. These cost saving measures on behalf of the insurance industry become problematic when patients may not tolerate certain medications. This is clearly the case for both cholesterol lowering drugs as well as anti-depressants. For example, my insurance company has increased the cost of Lipitor because there are generic alternatives. However not everyone can tolerate these alternatives. So long as the insurance industry is profit driven, Americans will always receive inadequate coverage.

By: Bob Hall

Bob Hall — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:44:45 +0000

As a pharmacist, I just want you to know that these drugs are not “me-too’s”. Prilosec was the 1st in the PPI class. Prilosec, Aciphex and Protonix are all me toos…they are PPI’s with slightly different chemical structures. Prilosec and Nexium are the same drug…simply different stereoisomers. All the other info you present is absolutely correct…the only reason they do it is to hold on to a patent. Oh, except the price difference…today a Nexium 40mg is approximately $5 and the generic Prilosec 20mg is less than 10 cents (take 2 to equal 20 cents). You can do the math. Great article. Bob

By: Linda Coffey

Linda Coffey — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:08:49 +0000

I have just been informed by my Health Care Company-Harvard Pilgrim that they are switching me from Nexium to Omeprazole.
I suffered for 20 years with stomach problems & even had to take a medical leave of absence because of mu uncontrolled diarrhea problems-supposedly IBS. Finally after a colonoscopy & endoscopy, a doctor prescribed nexium. I had tried every other PPI available with no success. Nexium has been a miracle drug for me; I can now function without the worry of stomach pain and uncontrollable bouts of diarrhea.

Why are “healthcare” providers making decsions for our doctors?

By: Ray Guest

Ray Guest — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:59:14 +0000

Thanks for your excellent article. I have reference it and linked to it in my article titled: Market Principals and Healthcare.

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