The cost of duodopa appears to be astronomical. Fine. Then say so.
Parkinsons™ belongs to us; duodopa, like sinemet, exists only for Parkinson’s™. So why are we not allowed to know what is going on? Let the FDA declare it legal or not legal, safe or not safe. Then, if the delay is because it costs too much, okay. Just tell us the truth.
It’s our lives you are playing with, by delaying this treatment for years. If it is FDA approved, but the cost – benefit analysis shows that keeping us alive with such an expensive drug gives a paltry ROI (Return On Investment) tell us, so MAYBE we can raise funds and have a PD non-profit organisation go out to tenders in 3 or more European countries to supply this treatment to the U.S.A. – and why not also put out a competitive call for tenders for the guaranteed supply of sinemet for those without duodopa.
Ah, but one Big Pharma outfit has exclusive right to market it, right? So either produce it or get off the pot. Years have gone by, this drug is in daily use in 30 countries…. But we don’t even have the right to know what is going on and why. Is it a health safety delay? A lack of doctors able to do it? Costs too much? Or is it just a corporate strategy, like AMGEN sitting on GDNF for 5 years?
Duodopa has been approved in the following countries, for advanced cases of Parkinson’s™:
Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. (U.K.??)
Also approved in Canada “with conditions”, for example a PD Neuro has to swear on a stack of money that the regular swallowing of pills has been tried on you every which way, and this is your last kick at the can.
Some people say Duodopa cost $60,000 per year.
So of course the Canadian on-line “pharmacies” are offering discounts”:
Duodopa Gel 2000/500mg
Source Country: European Union Shipped From: United Kingdom
21 x 100ml Solvay Pharmaceuticals
$3,750.00
But there is no way to know what internet pharmacy you can trust.
The bootlegging on the internet show that it is over-priced.
Let’s get Wal-mart to import for us. (Phantasy)
There may be perfectly good reasons why this treatment has been delayed for years in some countries; while being used daily in other countries.
It would be nice, as we lay dying, to have someone in the Parkinson’s™ Cartel explain to us what is going on. It would be appropriate, given that the whole Parkinson’s™ Industry exists only to serve us and our wretched disease. Tell us the truth.
Hype Alert:
HERE IS THE SALES BROCHURE FOR A PRODUCT YOU CAN’T GET IN THE U.S.A. FOR REASONS UNKNOWN OR UNSAID:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...43828540,d.b2I