Anyone else notice this? Last month my Rebif cost $1700 for my one month supply. This month it was $2228.

Thank God I have insurance. That is a 31% increase. I'm just so shocked that it could go up that much in a month's time.

Sheesh, Kim. The prices for these old modulating therapys should be going down...not up.. I don't understand how they can get by with this.

It makes me think that more PwMS are turning down these therapies and that's why the price is higher??

copaxone just had a huge swing recently too. Went from 1600 to 23oo. its a shame, its just a shame.

how come Avonex with is LESS strength than Rebif, and ONE shot per week, instead of 3, so it required LESS materials, cost exactly the same as Rebif?? I never understood that.

I think it's all based on the stock market. We talked about this not too long ago on a Copaxone thread.

Doesn't have anything to do with the Stock Market, just 'normal' price increases. Avonex went up a little over $500 since last quarter.

Thanks Bill. I thought it did after someone from CuraScript, my mail order pharmacy for Copaxone told me that.

I reckon they are just gouging before the patents run out . . . then they'll tell us the drugs don't work that well anyway . . .

Cherie

Thanks for the laugh this morning, Cherie. It's such a shame.

same here! my insurance is paying it too (but needed additional paperwork from the doctor), but i am so appalled! i almost feel like not taking the medicine, i don't want to support some price gouging farma company!! somebody is making big bucks of sick people!! this should be reported (where??), unless they give a good reason for this insane price (over $2000 now a month!!), which I am pretty sure there isn't any, they should be forced to reduce the price drastically!

I think the price increase is awful. Not just a few bucks, but hundreds. I am sure people's Medical Insurance companies will have to make pricing deals or pay the increase.

Avonex and Rebif are recombinant interferons that are produced in cell cultures. Maybe they are running out of the Red Chinese hamster ovaries to make it in. Betaseron is a modified interferon beta. It is made by recombinant DNA and purified from bacteria. Copaxone is made from four synthetic amino acids (proteins) in a random chain. Each shot has 22 mgs of G, L, A and T (Glatiramer acetate) with 40 mgs of Mannitol.

Ty and other MS drugs, I haven't a clue how or what they are made of, I never studied them because I never tried them.

I guess the laboratories that make these drugs are having increases of some nature, to cause the increase. I don't know if it's supply and demand, new research costs for other drugs, or the economy in general. I am not that smart, or I would be rich instead of just making ends meet.