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Carole, I want to give you my condolences about the unfortunate accident. You have enough to worry about without this. I want to make it clear that I do not support the drug companies in their charges as well as their tactics. Also I don't support the medical equipment companies in therir charges of $25,000 for a pair of stimulators for DBS which was charged to my insurance company when the price in Europe is significantly less. Drug and equipment development costs money but charges like those are unforgivable. Carole- again I want to offer you my best and pray that you avoid the 2 terrible illnesses that you have beeen exposed to. Charlie ----- Original Message ----- From: Carole Hercun <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2000 6:35 PM Subject: Re: price of PD medication / Another Perspective > 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