Risk Of Developing Liver Cancer After HCV Treatment

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

VA can't afford drug for veterans suffering from hepatitis C

VA Doctor Invented Hepatitis C Cure, Sold It For $400 Million Profit
December 3, 2015 by Benjamin Krause
Apparently, Dr. Raymond Schinazi, a VA doctor since 1983, founded a company named Pharmasset and led the scientific team that discovered sofosbuvir while working at VA. That is the substances used in current hep C pill treatments.

So who really owns the hepatitis C cure? Taxpayers or the VA employee who invented it while a full-time VA employee? Dr. Schinazi claimed it was all his.

VA can't afford drug for veterans suffering from hepatitis C
On Tuesday, a Senate report found Gilead Sciences, which makes a cure for a fatal form of hepatitis, is more interested in profits than patients. The cure was invented under the leadership of a celebrated doctor in the Department of Veterans Affairs, but at $1,000 a pill, even the VA can't afford to save the lives of veterans who need it.

Dr. Raymond Schinazi founded the company, Pharmasset, and led the scientific team that discovered sofosbuvir. He also works for the Department of Veterans Affairs and has since 1983.

He said he is only a 7/8th's government employee. So what he does with his remaining time is up to him.

He said he is spending less than 1/8th of his time on private companies.

"Well, even less than that. I'm very efficient," he said

Dr. Schinazi made more than $400 million when he sold his company for $11 billion to pharmaceutical giant Gilead in 2012.

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1 comment:

  1. Developed by a VA doctor telling vets thatits too expensive for treatment.. What about the the profit margines that the politcias made for sending us to war.

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