Hi Charlie and Chris: Just to put this in perspective. I had the unfortunate occurrence of being 'stuck' today with a needle I had used on a patient of mine with full-blown AIDS and Hepatitis. (The so-called safety mechanism on the syringe was apparently unsafe.) The infectious disease people said that the prophylactic treatment had to be started within hours to be effective. Therefore I had to pay out-of-pocket to the closest pharmacy that had the 3 AIDS drugs I needed (which will be reimbursed.) The point of all this is that the cost for a 7 day supply was $1,000.00 and I think that is criminal in a country as wealthy as the U.S. These are patients with a disease with a 100% mortality rate and this is what they are expected to pay? Carole P.S. Don't know yet what cost of Hepatitis globulin will be. --- "Charles T. Meyer, M.D." <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Chris- > > That strategy makes sense except for the fact that > customs might confiscate > meds being imported into at least the US. I have heard > of such cases where > meds from Canada were taken at the border when there were > large amounts > bought by US citizens in Canada. > > Charlie > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Chris van der Linden <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Monday, January 03, 2000 2:20 AM > Subject: Re: price of PD medication > > > > Hi everybody, > > > > There is a simple way to have the medication at a lower > price, but all > > members of the network have to participate. Just list > the price of > > anti-Parkinson medication (either per tablet, or per > 100 tablets in the > > local currencies) on this list and than we will compare > the prices. We > will > > than purchase the medication from a country with the > lowest price and > > distribute it to the members, who pay too much. > Remember (especially for > > the USA members), that for example Sinemet 25/100 is > the same in each > > country, from the same company, so don't be afraid that > you will get > > something else or a different concentration etc. of a > specific > medication. > > Sometimes, medication in different countries have > differerent names, to > make > > it more complicated for the "consumers". Therefore, I > suggest we use the > > generic name if applicable. Here is a list of > frequently used > anti-Parkinson > > medication: > > levodopa/carbidopa Sinemet > > levodopa/benserazide Madopar/Prolopa > > selegiline > Eldepryl > > amantadine > Symmetrel/Amantan > > entacapone Comtan > > tolcapone Tasmar > > trihexyphenidyl Artane > > orphenadrine Disipal > > ropinorol Requip > > pergolide Permax > > bromocriptine Parlodel > > pramipexole Mirapex > > etc. > > > > The pharmacological companies won't like this, but this > is one way of > > showing them that we can bypass their high prices in > certain countries. > > Maybe, they will than start to adjust their prices more > uniformly. > > It does surprise me again that Parkinson support groups > don't put pressure > > on companies and/or governments to lower the prices of > meds. > > > > Good luck and again a happy and healthy 2000. > > > > > > Chris van der Linden, M.D. > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://messenger.yahoo.com