Are you on drugs?

[Raising Heel]

The top 20 drugs by 2018 U.S. sales

The numbers here are staggering. Humira is far and away the #1 drug in the United States, with annual sales of almost $14 billion. I don't have anything to add, just thought the interactive charts were cool.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Ya, Humira is ridiculous. Bristol Meyers Squibb won't even get to the $14B mark with their top 2 drugs, even after they acquire Celgene which has Revlimid at #2.

It's good to see all these drugs getting approved.

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

If it wasn't a rhetorical question, I take allergy medicine in season and Vitamin D because I somehow am always low. That's it.

I'm not anti-medicine, but I try to avoid it as much as possible.

 

[strummingram]

 

[dadika13]

 

[tarheel0910]

A couple of things. First, that wasn't the type of drugs I was expecting. Second, I'd like to know how much money these companies spent on research and approvals to make the drugs. I think that cost of development is overlooked when people talk about the price of drugs. It's a very important detail that shouldn't be left out.

 

[Heels Noir]

Recently I became very active in trafficking drugs, not as much for the added revenue but to appear cool in the eyes of the neighborhood kids who just don't know any better. So while I'm not exactly "on" drugs, I'm definitely "into" drugs.

 

[NoleSoup4U]

A couple of things. First, that wasn't the type of drugs I was expecting. Second, I'd like to know how much money these companies spent on research and approvals to make the drugs. I think that cost of development is overlooked when people talk about the price of drugs. It's a very important detail that shouldn't be left out.

You should be able to find their R&D costs online if they're a publicly traded company.

 

[dadika13]

A couple of things. First, that wasn't the type of drugs I was expecting. Second, I'd like to know how much money these companies spent on research and approvals to make the drugs. I think that cost of development is overlooked when people talk about the price of drugs. It's a very important detail that shouldn't be left out.

My buddy is a VP at Novartis. Says it takes them 3 years to become profitable on an average drug because of the heavy R&D, legal, and overhead costs upfront.

 

[tarheel0910]

You should be able to find their R&D costs online if they're a publicly traded company.

*In my best Homer Simpson voice* Can't someone else do it?

My buddy is a VP at Novartis. Says it takes them 3 years to become profitable on an average drug because of the heavy R&D, legal, and overhead costs upfront.

Did he say how long the normal patent last for the drugs? I would imagine that sales would nose dive once generics come out and they would need to make up those cost before that happens. I'm not trying to say no drugs are overpriced, but between covering the cost of the drug and normal costs to run a business it's not cheap.

And before someone accuses me of not knowing what it's like to be in the shoes of people who need these drugs, I am actually one of those people who needs these drugs.

 

[strummingram]

 

[dadika13]

Did he say how long the normal patent last for the drugs? .

20 years. So they still have 17 years of profitability but the issue becomes that other pharma companies are constantly making drugs better so most doctors will only prescribe a certain drug for like 5 years before something else better comes along.

So you've really got 2 years.

 

[tarheel0910]

20 years. So they still have 17 years of profitability but the issue becomes that other pharma companies are constantly making drugs better so most doctors will only prescribe a certain drug for like 5 years before something else better comes along.

So you've really got 2 years.

I don't think a lot of people consider all of that. I think that's really important info to have before saying a drug is overpriced. I would also bet that they lose a decent amount of money on drugs that never make it to market. That's money they can never get back. People try to say drugs are overpriced, but it's not as simple as the amount on the price tag.

 

[NoleSoup4U]

My buddy is a VP at Novartis. Says it takes them 3 years to become profitable on an average drug because of the heavy R&D, legal, and overhead costs upfront.

I can imagine. That's why they have the legal rights for 20 years. If you didn't make it worth the effort to pump money into R&D nothing would ever get created.

 

[NoleSoup4U]

20 years. So they still have 17 years of profitability but the issue becomes that other pharma companies are constantly making drugs better so most doctors will only prescribe a certain drug for like 5 years before something else better comes along.

So you've really got 2 years.

Oh, wow. I didn't realize they really only had a window of 2-years. That's crazy.

 

[tarheel0910]

Speaking of drugs.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/18-million-worth-cocaine-seized-port-philadelphia/story?id=61803389

 

[grillheel]

All the drugs on the list are incredibly expensive. The only way anybody gets them is by insurance and/or the government paying for them. Drug companies are going to get theirs, any way and any how.
ETA: Drug companies are not quite as bad as insurance companies, though.

 

[strummingram]

 

[Terror Beard]

Legal drugs are lame. I’ll eat the occasion Advil and Prilosec. But I often turn down pain meds when prescribed because frankly, I can treat my pain more effectively other ways. I like to think of myself as homeopathic. But some call it alcoholism.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

A couple of things. First, that wasn't the type of drugs I was expecting. Second, I'd like to know how much money these companies spent on research and approvals to make the drugs. I think that cost of development is overlooked when people talk about the price of drugs. It's a very important detail that shouldn't be left out.

Ya, people definitely like to pontificate on the price of drugs, and politicize the battles against the pharma companies without taking all the other stuff into account.

Ultimately, the drug is worth whatever someone will pay for it, and should be priced accordingly. If your choices are take Drug A, or die from cancer, that drug is worth whatever you or your insurance company will pay to not have you die from cancer.

 

[tarheel0910]

Ya, people definitely like to pontificate on the price of drugs, and politicize the battles against the pharma companies without taking all the other stuff into account.

Ultimately, the drug is worth whatever someone will pay for it, and should be priced accordingly. If your choices are take Drug A, or die from cancer, that drug is worth whatever you or your insurance company will pay to not have you die from cancer.

Agreed. A lot of people don't realize that the price that is paid by the individual is significantly lower. I take a drug that cost around 8k a month. Between insurance and a rebate, I only pay $10. That's not to say some drugs aren't overpriced. I just think the issue isn't as black and white as most people think.

 

[nctransplant]

I take a shit pot ton of drugs every day. High blood pressure(GFY losing weight didn't help) 3 of them, arthritis meds(Celebrex)x2, and hrt. Plus allergy meds.

 

[cletusnow]

Just started taking protonix for stomach ulcer. Sure beats the pain and the risk for stomach cancer.

 

[tarheel0910]

 

[dadika13]

Legal drugs are lame. I’ll eat the occasion Advil and Prilosec. But I often turn down pain meds when prescribed because frankly, I can treat my pain more effectively other ways. I like to think of myself as homeopathic. But some call it alcoholism.

+1 to alcoholism as a cure for pain, much more fun than pain pills.

But I think most people in here are referring to drugs they need to survive, not for pain. If you have a heart condition, diabetes, MS, etc. etc. I think you'd feel differently about legal drugs.

 

[gteeitup]

I take a shit pot ton of drugs every day. High blood pressure(GFY losing weight didn't help) 3 of them, arthritis meds(Celebrex)x2, and hrt. Plus allergy meds.

have you tried beet juice, apple cider vinegar, cbd oil, or other natural methods?

 

[nctransplant]

have you tried beet juice, apple cider vinegar, cbd oil, or other natural methods?

My BP has been high since 2007. Under control thru meds. I come from a long line of high BP peeps. To answer your question though no, other than losing weight. And I'm not obese anyway. Was probably in the best shape of my life when I found out I had it. It was 188/134 when I was diagnosed and I had no symptoms. I was a walking stroke waiting to happen.

 

[Terror Beard]

If you have a heart condition, diabetes, MS, etc. etc. I think you'd feel differently about legal drugs.

Of course I would. I like surviving too. But that's not my current situation and therefore my sentiments don't take that into account.

 

[prlyles]

My BP has been high since 2007. Under control thru meds. I come from a long line of high BP peeps. To answer your question though no, other than losing weight. And I'm not obese anyway. Was probably in the best shape of my life when I found out I had it. It was 188/134 when I was diagnosed and I had no symptoms. I was a walking stroke waiting to happen.

Runs in my family also. I found out I had HBP when I got drafted in 1969. Been on meds ever since.

 

[TarHeelMark]