I am not sure how I missed this and my apologies if it has already been posted...

It just stunned me and then it made me angry, as a patient who is hostage to big pharma companies because I have a chronic incurable disease and choose to take a DMD to improve my quality of life.

The rising cost of MS drugs:

All costs listed are for drug only and are approximate cost per year. You or your insurance company may pay more or less depending on what kind of coverage you have.
Copaxone $42,300.00
Gilenya $48,000.00
Tysabri $42,788.00
Avonex $37,544.00
Betaseron $37,294.00
Rebif $36,825.00
Ampyra $12,850.00

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-0...-ms-drugs.html

4-AP- Skip's pharmacy cost w/compounding $95.00 for 100 day supply/3 10mg caps a day (cost as of 02/11)
Low Dose Naltrexone- Skip's pharmacy cost w/compounding $66.00 for 100 day supply/4.5 mg day (cost as of 02/11)

I'm off on another letter writing campaign to my Congressmen and women and my Senators and the President and the papers and whoever else I can bother this week!

It's criminal! I mean, all of those drugs, with the exception of the last one, cost more per year than most folks make per year. It's just ridiculous. And don't even get me started on the side effects. They just open the door for more profits for big pharma. Just makes me sick. But there's no med for that!

What I hated was that they push them so hard at you, and then dont tell you the real effectiveness of them. 33% for the CRAB drugs to "maybe" prevent the next relapse. Then when you complain whether it be money, side effects or want to try CAM they argue and fuss and kick up a storm. I am now bareback and my MRI didnt change one bit. That is not to say that these drugs may not be more effective for someone else, or may truly save someone from a dramatic increase in disability but why oh why do we need to charge this much?? to those that are the least able to pay it??

Criminal. just criminal.

Efficacy rates by drug or what you get for your money.

Avonex 32%
Betaseron 34%
Copaxone 29%
Rebif 32%
Tysabri 67%
Gilenya 45%

And the others I named in the first post do not have studies that reliably quote efficacy in reduction of number of relapses/delay of progression or are for symptom relief. I'm not here to argue what LDN does or what 4AP does. I do understand that many people take them and have had
excellent results with them, but there was no study data available. If anyone has any data that shows efficacy rates in reducing number of relapses or delaying progression of disease for LDN or 4AP or Ampyra, please add it to this thread.

My Copaxone costs me almost $800 from a 30 day supply and only $50 for the Ampyra (which I'm VERY happy about) and then $10 here and there for other generic drugs. It is very expensive in my opinonin for the Copaxone. I cannot get payment asstance for it either. I do have to insurances and Anthum (Blue cross) kept telling me they will not pay as a secondary insurer.

It is infuriating isn't it??? Just recently I recall reading about how MS drugs have gone up 20-30% in cost. The article speculated that it was because Gilenya came in at $48,000 and upped the ante for the other companies. They felt, well if Novartis is going to charge almost 50K, maybe we should raise our prices too.

And then combine that with changing insurance plans that offer less and less. My MS drug costs have gone up monthly by $90 over the past year. And I feel bad complaining because I know that other people have it much much worse.

Another reason that I'm glad that I quit the copaxone. (didnt like the side effects, didnt think it was doing anything)

If I try anything else, it'll be LDN. Just need to find a doctor to give me some.

And I nearly fainted when I found out my Crohn's med, Pentasa, goes for $1,600/mo if taken at full dose. I am now weaning off of it. So glad I haven't signed on for any expensive MS drugs . . . .

Idiot, We gave you the name of a Doc who prescribes LDN. Whuz yer problem?