Thursday, August 21, 2014

Instead of complaining about how much Sovaldi costs why not use the drug to stage a war on hepatitis C?

All over the country, state governments are grappling with the same question: “What do we do about Sovaldi?” The drug seems to be far more effective than alternatives at treating hepatitis C, a disease that, left untreated, frequently progresses to liver disease and then death. It also costs $84,000 for a course of treatment.
State governments, horrified by the cost, are reacting by slapping restrictions on how -- and in one case whether -- it can be prescribed. Many are limiting it to only the worst cases, those who already have cirrhosis. But this strategy may not work, as Governing magazine points out: Patients can sue, and they probably will.
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