June 20 2008, 2:35 pm PT | Posted in: Drugs
My dermatologist did not feel comfortable prescribing Proscar for my MPB so I have been stuck taking and paying for Propecia.
I know that no generic form is legally available in the U.S. and “Propecia” is strictly used for cosmetic purposes. However, one would think that since most insurance companies don’t cover the drug it would be more reasonable priced for the average Joe to pay for it out of pocket. So I have a two part question:
- Why is it so expensive when most people have to pay for it out of pocket?
- Lastly (and seriously), I don’t know how closely you have been following the 2008 Presidential election but are you aware of any of the two major candidates healthcare or perception drug policies that would lead to lower cost of Propecia (even though it is cosmetic drug).
Love the blog!
Propecia ’08!
I don’t have decent answers to either of your questions, unfortunately… because these aren’t things I have access to. To answer why Propecia is so expensive, you’d have to defer to the company that manufactures it and owns the patents on the drug, Merck. You could speculate all day why drug prices are what they are, but I don’t know of any reason they’ve ever given for a specific price of a specific drug. As far as your second question, who knows if Propecia would be covered by any national health insurance. We have considerable time to wait this one out.
Although you did not ask me about the presidential race, those that play the odds will know that we have not had a hair-challenged president elected to the highest office in the U.S. since the 1950s (Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower), so Obama may be the favorite for those who play “Hairy Politics”.
You have to be kidding me. You would vote for the President who will socialize the drug industry the most so you can get Propecia? What messed up thinking is that?
This is the same government who runs the MVD, built the IRS and the USPS.
Read this link:
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/06/20/oregon-state-health-plan-will-pay-to-kill-you-but-not-cure-you/
Now, tell me. If they aren’t willing to cure a lady with cancer are they really going to be willing to give you drugs for balding?
Better yet, why don’t you look for another job or go to your boss and say, “I have don’t A, B, and C that has increased my productivity and therefore your profits, I believe a raise of X would be fair.”
If he throws you out, go look for another job: http://www.48days.com
In every country that has socialized medicine, the care sucks.
http://www.freemarketcure.com/brainsurgery.php
If the nation ever goes with socialized medicine, there will be a shortage of doctors. I aleady know of some who are planning on going to the Caribbean and work as Medical Tourism like they do in Poland and Solvakia.
http://www.avani.eu/
http://www.statmedica.com/
So again the rich will get the care, and the poor and the middle class will get the shaft. Presently, even the poor gets care with Medicaid, just not cosmetic work.
Your overgeneralizations are stifling. I sincerely hope that you don\’t work in healthcare.