Big Pharma is only interested in treating the diseases of the wealthy and well-insured. That leaves many widespread diseases of the poor without effective treatment. MIddle-income countries are now addressing the issue.
free link:
intercst
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That is because of the cost of developing drugs. As the article notes:
“Early discovery and preclinical studies cost $10 million to $20 million, he said, while getting through the first small clinical trials for safety and some sign of efficacy could be another $6 million. The last phase, a large trial in patients to test whether the drug works, costs at a minimum $20 million…”
Of course, all of that expense is without any guarantee that the drug will actually work and be approved. So if, say, Columbia has a lot of people with leishmaniasis (which is what the article is about) then they should spend the $50 million per drug trial.
DB2
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Indeed. A better opening paragraph might’ve read “Economic reality is stacked against their therapies”. I guess “The System” is always a more blame worthy bogeyman.
For anyone interested in understanding such tropical diseases…and more importantly in this context opportunities for charitable giving … the Covid pandemic introduced a good many folk to this collaboration (anyone who followed Vincent Racanniello and the team on TWiV, that is) …
I have a feeling that, given that the current bar is set so low where efficacy and safety is concerned, it wouldn’t be quite such an expensive proposition to fund development of better treatments as, say, another medication to mitigate the effects of too much eating and too much sitting.
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Sounds like an international pharma business to me !!!
Hmmm🤔. Why do you say that?
I’ve been following Vincent Racanniello via his Virology site for years (given the heads-up on the old H&N board) and following on TWiV seemed a natural progression when Covid-19 first began. The way the site shows on my server doesn’t give much of a whiff of international pharma machinations…any more than other popular conspiracy theories (I doubt I’d recognise Illuminati or Opus Dei input, mind)
Serious question from a street epistemology POV, BTW.
Photo of my husband’s coronavirus ties from one of today’s FB memories…his first Covid-19 vaccine in 2020
A stocking stuffer from my daughter for Christmas 2019…how prescient.
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Behind increases have been popular these last few years.
The behind reductions will be popular next year.
Massive numbers of phase three casualties. Side-stepping that if possible.
Beware of sand flys. That’ll help no end