Hace unos días, comentamos en nuestro Blog de Fármaco-economía de la UC3M un artículo que salió publicado en el diario The New York Times sobre el coste de un nuevo tratamiento para la Hepatitis C. El fin de semana pasado, 25 de Marzo de 2014, se publicó en el apartado de "Cartas al Editor" del mismo diario la respuesta de la Asociación de Investigación Farmacéutica y Fabricantes de América, representada por el Sr. John J. Castellani, Director ejecutivo y Presidente.
Hacemos réplica de su carta (en inglés) dado su interés académico para los profesionales de la fármaco-economía, y en especial del acceso al mercado. La carta fue publicada originalmente en el siguiente enlace: Drugs for Hepatitis C.
To the Editor:
Re “How Much Should Hepatitis C Treatment Cost?” (editorial, March 16):
Instead of taking rounds of interferon, making countless visits to the hospital and undergoing expensive surgery, many of today’s patients with hepatitis C can be cured in just 12 weeks. There is enormous value in the transformative effects of today’s breakthrough medicines.
When dealing with the cost of care, it is imperative to have a big-picture perspective. Patients with hepatitis C have for too long faced drawn-out, uncertain treatment options, with many patients ultimately requiring liver transplants. Their medical care has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for a transplant and related costs.
The lifelong toll of disease and surgery — side effects they wouldn’t have to experience with new medications — deeply affects not only patients but also their families. Basing a medical decision on cost alone shortchanges patients and their families. While the cost of health care can be high, the cost of untreated disease has been demonstrated to be much higher.
JOHN J. CASTELLANI
Chief Executive and President
Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America
Washington, March 18, 2014
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