I read the news late last night here in California. In my search for Sovaldi treatment in Thailand, which has not started using Sovaldi, I was put in touch with a HepC researcher in India through a relative. So the possibility for access to the drug may exist at some point. Enduring a 12 or 24 week stay in India would be problematic and after reading some of the laws regarding bringing prescribed medications back to the US I wonder about the risk of having the drugs confiscated by US Customs. As I understand it, India's medical "tourism" is fairly well established. Gilead continues to play the profit angles no matter what.
-- Edited by Lowrider on Tuesday 16th of September 2014 07:41:39 PM
lilbit said
Sep 16, 2014
I definitely hope that eventually these treatments get cheaper for everyone. If I had not been able to get in a study I wouldn't have even been able to afford the co-pays. BUT, I rejoice that it will help people in other countries also. This stuff is nasty and EVERYONE should be able to get treatment.
Isiscat2011 said
Sep 16, 2014
These are settlement agreements and nothing more. We really need to disabuse ourselves of the fanciful notion that Gilead is anything other than a business that acts in its own best interests.
Tig said
Sep 16, 2014
It's great to see Gilead agree to share their manufacturing processes, as well as sharing their licensing agreements with India. But I have to agree with you Jim, sounds like the 54% of the people affected by this agreement will be located in the third world countries, not the West. I guess it's a start. I wonder how many healthcare junkets will be planned once this is set up? I suspect a brisk black market business as well. Of course one thing remains certain, Gilead continues to rake it in... $$$
Tig
jimbob said
Sep 16, 2014
That is really good news worldwide for persons to have access to the new txs, but I'm assuming Americans, and their ins. providers, will continue to pay thru the nose for a 12 or 24 month fix.
I read the news late last night here in California. In my search for Sovaldi treatment in Thailand, which has not started using Sovaldi, I was put in touch with a HepC researcher in India through a relative. So the possibility for access to the drug may exist at some point. Enduring a 12 or 24 week stay in India would be problematic and after reading some of the laws regarding bringing prescribed medications back to the US I wonder about the risk of having the drugs confiscated by US Customs. As I understand it, India's medical "tourism" is fairly well established. Gilead continues to play the profit angles no matter what.
-- Edited by Lowrider on Tuesday 16th of September 2014 07:41:39 PM
These are settlement agreements and nothing more. We really need to disabuse ourselves of the fanciful notion that Gilead is anything other than a business that acts in its own best interests.
It's great to see Gilead agree to share their manufacturing processes, as well as sharing their licensing agreements with India. But I have to agree with you Jim, sounds like the 54% of the people affected by this agreement will be located in the third world countries, not the West. I guess it's a start. I wonder how many healthcare junkets will be planned once this is set up? I suspect a brisk black market business as well. Of course one thing remains certain, Gilead continues to rake it in... $$$
Tig
http://www.gilead.com/news/press-releases/2014/9/gilead-announces-generic-licensing-agreements-to-increase-access-to-hepatitis-c-treatments-in-developing-countries