Daraprim Drug and why the price increase is concerning as a conspiracy

Ok, so there is already a thread discussing the particular price hike that I am mentioning in here. That thread is here.

Now I have been reading some stories because of that thread and my leanings are more related to a conspiracy about the actual intentions of this price hike.

So the drug has been around for 62 years and only about 12,000 scripts per year are written at this point. Daraprim treats toxoplasmosis and it is a leading cause of death attributed to food-borne illness in the US.

Now, based on a research article published by the CDC in 2000,

Pork has been implicated by some authorities as the meat most commonly associated with foodborne toxoplasmosis (14). In some areas, market pigs from small producers have had higher rates of Toxoplasma infections than pigs from larger producers (15); however, overall rates appear to be declining over time (16). In 1992, a large survey in Illinois documented that 3.1% of market pigs had serologic evidence of Toxoplasma infection (16). Toxoplasma infection has also been identified in other meats, but their contribution to the burden of disease is believed to be small (14).

Source

That study also states:

Since the 1960s, rates of infection with Toxoplasma in the United States appear to be declining. In the 1960s, a study of U.S. military recruits indicated that the overall seroprevalence of Toxoplasma was 14% (5). In 1989, a second study of military recruits indicated a seroprevalence of 9.6% (6). Similar downward trends have been observed in France and Sweden (7,8).

as well as:

Although congenital toxoplasmosis is not a nationally reportable disease and no national data are available regarding its occurrence, extrapolation from regional studies indicates that an estimated 400-4,000 cases occur in the United States each year. In addition, of the 750 deaths attributed to toxoplasmosis each year, 375 (50%) are believed to be foodborne, making toxoplasmosis the third leading cause of foodborne deaths in this country (2).

So that study is from 2000 and states that there is a downturn in the trend, stating that only 400-4000 cases were around. Now we have Martin Shkreli, now the owner of that pharma company that raised the prices stating :

Shkreli justified the move by saying the overall impact will be a minor one as there are only 12,000 or so prescriptions for the specialized drug a year

So in 15 years the infection rate has at least tripled. That is quite a spike!

Now, according to another source, the North Carolina Department of Agricultural and Consumer services:

Toxoplasma gondii causes infection in most warm-blooded animals including livestock and humans. Approximately 40% of adult humans in the U.S. are infected with the parasite and T. gondii infections are more prevalent in Continental Europe.

So roughly 95 Million adults in the US alone already have this infection living in them....nice patient base there.

and

About 15% to 25% of apparently healthy pigs in the U.S. are estimated to be exposed to T. gondii, as determined by antibody tests. Toxoplasma generally does not make pigs ill. The parasite can persist in the edible tissues of pigs and other food animals for years, perhaps for life. The parasite has been found in virtually all body muscles of pigs.

Source

And then this is mentioned:

Many AIDS patients (as many as 30%) are likely to die of toxoplasmosis. In most AIDS patients, clinical toxoplasmosis is due to reactivation of a latent infection rather than acquisition of Toxoplasma after the diagnosis of AIDS.

So, just in the US alone, the population with AIDS is estimated around 1.1 Million. 30% is roughly 300,000. See where I am going with these many things related to this drug? Swine can infect you and as much as 25% of all pigs have it. Now, just in the US alone there are 66.9 Millions pigs up for slaughter for food this year:

The latest Hogs and Pigs report said the total inventory of hogs on U.S. farms at the start of June, 66.9 million head, was up 8.7% from 12 months earlier.

Source

So roughly 26,760,000 pigs have this disease and can pass it on to unsuspecting consumers in the US. Now imagine the numbers this guys company is going to make over the next few years in selling this drug.

I am wondering if he is in the know about some big infection that is going to happen and is capitalizing on it now.

Anywho...tin foil has is now put away for next month....

My mother always warned me make sure pork is well done, some pretty shocking #s
Most other countries have some controls on pricing..time to get it together.

Sounds like someone is discouraging the eating of pork.....or else.

More stories are coming out today about other drugs that this has been done to, or being done to.

If there is a conspiracy, I think it's for the people to start hating on Big Pharma more than they already did. The media is pushing these stories...

I always ask "why?" when the media begins to push a story. We should all ask why more often...

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Yeah, I have read some of the other stories, but this one in particular struck me because of the link to how many this particular disease is able to affect. Those are some staggering numbers, and ONLY in the US. Imagine on a worldwide scale how large this would be....and I am pretty sure this manufacturer is the only one worldwide.

This brings up another major concern for me with many stories this past summer of mosquito borne illnesses popping up all over the US. This drug is also used to treat Malaria. Guess how many cases of Malaria there are worldwide....198 Million in 2013...wondering if there will magically be an outbreak of Malaria in the US next summer....everyone claims we are rid of it, but just what if if comes back? Being rid of it does not mean it won't make a come back.

Out of the 198 Million cases in 2013, between 500K - 850K died....that is a LOT of people.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

My morning reading has found the answer to your question of why the media is doing these stories on Big Pharma at this time:

After Obamacare, Democrats turn to prescription drug prices as health-care priority

Pharmaceutical companies have especially high profit margins — not just for the health-care sector, but for any sector. Pfizer, one of the country's biggest drug companies, ran a 42 percent profit margin in 2013.

source

This makes sense as the taxpayers are paying for more prescriptions since the ACA was enacted, it's a good idea to control price gouging and the added expense it would cost taxpayers.

Edit: I was surprised that the Vox article above was trying to credit Hilary with the idea of cutting pharma prices, a little further reading turned up this:

Sanders was the first presidential candidate to propose a plan to combat high prescription drug costs, which recent polls have found to be Americans’ top health care priority, outranking Obamacare even among Republicans and independents.

Clinton will announce her own plan during a campaign event Tuesday. In a tweet Monday, Clinton referenced the controversy over Daraprim, saying “Price gouging like this in the specialty drug market is outrageous. Tomorrow I'll lay out a plan to take it on.”

A prominent biotech industry index on the New York Stock Exchange was down 3.7 percent Monday.

source

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
a reply to: MystikMushroom

Yeah, I have read some of the other stories, but this one in particular struck me because of the link to how many this particular disease is able to affect. Those are some staggering numbers, and ONLY in the US. Imagine on a worldwide scale how large this would be....and I am pretty sure this manufacturer is the only one worldwide.

This brings up another major concern for me with many stories this past summer of mosquito borne illnesses popping up all over the US. This drug is also used to treat Malaria. Guess how many cases of Malaria there are worldwide....198 Million in 2013...wondering if there will magically be an outbreak of Malaria in the US next summer....everyone claims we are rid of it, but just what if if comes back? Being rid of it does not mean it won't make a come back.

Out of the 198 Million cases in 2013, between 500K - 850K died....that is a LOT of people.

Remember, we are slated to bring in hundreds of thousands of refugees, not to mention the illegal immigrants we currently are dealing with on a daily basis. We have absolutely no way of knowing what they are bringing with them. Already in this country, drug-resistant tuberculosis is on the rise, as well as other diseases that heretofore had been declining in the US.

Pharma may be gearing up. They may soon need those big profits for R&D.

a reply to: queenofswords

Exactly, think of all the strange, unique and odd diseases and genetic mutations we may see. Immoral researchers are probably rubbing their hands together in glee.

originally posted by: queenofswords

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
a reply to: MystikMushroom

Yeah, I have read some of the other stories, but this one in particular struck me because of the link to how many this particular disease is able to affect. Those are some staggering numbers, and ONLY in the US. Imagine on a worldwide scale how large this would be....and I am pretty sure this manufacturer is the only one worldwide.

This brings up another major concern for me with many stories this past summer of mosquito borne illnesses popping up all over the US. This drug is also used to treat Malaria. Guess how many cases of Malaria there are worldwide....198 Million in 2013...wondering if there will magically be an outbreak of Malaria in the US next summer....everyone claims we are rid of it, but just what if if comes back? Being rid of it does not mean it won't make a come back.

Out of the 198 Million cases in 2013, between 500K - 850K died....that is a LOT of people.

Remember, we are slated to bring in hundreds of thousands of refugees, not to mention the illegal immigrants we currently are dealing with on a daily basis. We have absolutely no way of knowing what they are bringing with them. Already in this country, drug-resistant tuberculosis is on the rise, as well as other diseases that heretofore had been declining in the US.

Pharma may be gearing up. They may soon need those big profits for R&D.

Bingo....glad to see someone else has their conspiracy hat on too!

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
a reply to: queenofswords

Exactly, think of all the strange, unique and odd diseases and genetic mutations we may see. Immoral researchers are probably rubbing their hands together in glee.

It will definitely be an interesting year next year, especially the summer when all the good diseases come out to play. Dreading winter already this year with 3 kids in school...I have a feeling we are in for some serious stomach bugs this year.

a reply to: AlaskanDad

*sigh* I guess we can target perscription drug prices, bit it is really the price of everything in the medical world.

The problem is, anything medical related is a NEEDED purchase. The healthcare industry is not subject to supply and demand, as you can't just not buy life-saving medication. People can't just stop going to doctors because they are to expensive. The healthcare industry is not governed by the same rules as any other commodity.

"Sorry Timmy -- that antibiotic is just to expensive, guess you'll just have to loose a leg. I'm not paying that much for it, when I know it should cost half that!"

That isn't going to happen. People will go into serious debt and become homeless to save the lives of themselves and loved ones. The medical industry has a fixed demand that never goes away, so the supply can be constricted and the prices raised to whatever they providers want -- we all still will pay...

I think it has more to do with a small section of Americans that this particular drug is vital for: HIV/AIDS patients. HIV and AIDS are no longer necessarily death sentences but such patients are highly vulnerable to this parasite and Daraprim is the only drug that can kill the parasite. In many cases the market for Daraprim is buy it or die. Dude is a sociopath and he is getting off on this.

originally posted by: Kali74
I think it has more to do with a small section of Americans that this particular drug is vital for: HIV/AIDS patients. HIV and AIDS are no longer necessarily death sentences but such patients are highly vulnerable to this parasite and Daraprim is the only drug that can kill the parasite. In many cases the market for Daraprim is buy it or die. Dude is a sociopath and he is getting off on this.

I think he has a multi-faceted approach to this. AIDS being one of the factors.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

A nation motivated by greed and ruled with fear!

The roots of modern medicine lies with the Rockefellers, just something to think on.

a reply to: vonclod

Your mom probably warned you about that because of the fear of trichinosis www.medicinenet.com...

A drug that old should not have a price tag like that attached to it. This is what this country is coming to. Deception and profiteering to the highest degree. It almost seems impossible that our government is allowing this to happen. But, I suppose someone is getting kickbacks that is controlling this, or should I say campaign contributions.

We need to fix these kinds of problems, I know if this was not a Pharmaceutical situation they would not tolerate it. That drug should be something anyone could make. It only costs around twenty bucks for thirty tablets in England, if I get sick maybe I will move there for a few years. It is even cheaper in India.

Someone please explain to me how the US medical Science is better than in other countries because it costs more? This is even worse than the cost of getting bit by a rattler.

I work at a cat shelter and am pretty sure that at some point(s) I have/am exposed to Toxoplasmosis on a regular basis!

I never heard of this drug being used to treat it, and actually before clicking this thread assumed it was an AIDS drug exclusively.

Anyways, i think this is a PUBLICITY stunt conjured up by the new owner. I mean, they make extra $$$$ while the price was jacked up and even after they lower it cuz of the increased popularity with it!

a reply to: Milah

I am sure there was a lot of publicity to be had from this.

I also see it as a well thought out, and calculated plan. Whether or not nefarious still remains to be seen.

Guess we will have to wait to see if any of those connections come tonpass.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Well, you piqued my conspiracy curiosity!

I wondered if you noticed this about toxoplasmosis in hen eggs:

"An early study reported that T. gondii tachyzoites may be isolated from raw chicken eggs laid by hens with experimentally induced infection. However, commercially raised poultry is virtually free of T. gondii infection."

Source

Obviously the flu vaccine and H1N1 vaccine are produced using hen eggs:

"Asked if the farms producing the eggs are near the vaccine plant, Lee told Pelley, "Because of security reasons, I'm not at liberty to share specific, exact locations."

"These are secret egg farms?" Pelley asked.

"We don't want to reveal the location for security reasons," Lee said."

Source

Perhaps, in theory, a government regulated and administered vaccine program could potentially be exploited to spread the most deadly food parasitic disease that requires $750 pills to cure.


EDIT: And curiously, the symptoms of toxoplasmosis are very similar to some well-known (but minor) adverse effects from vaccinations:

Body aches
Swollen lymph nodes
Headache
Fever
Fatigue




I'd star and flag you again, but I did the other day when you posted this.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: Vasa Croe

Well, you piqued my conspiracy curiosity!

I wondered if you noticed this about toxoplasmosis in hen eggs:

"An early study reported that T. gondii tachyzoites may be isolated from raw chicken eggs laid by hens with experimentally induced infection. However, commercially raised poultry is virtually free of T. gondii infection."

Source

Obviously the flu vaccine and H1N1 vaccine are produced using hen eggs:

"Asked if the farms producing the eggs are near the vaccine plant, Lee told Pelley, "Because of security reasons, I'm not at liberty to share specific, exact locations."

"These are secret egg farms?" Pelley asked.

"We don't want to reveal the location for security reasons," Lee said."

Source

Perhaps, in theory, a government regulated and administered vaccine program could potentially be exploited to spread the most deadly food parasitic disease that requires $750 pills to cure.


EDIT: And curiously, the symptoms of toxoplasmosis are very similar to some well-known (but minor) adverse effects from vaccinations:

Body aches
Swollen lymph nodes
Headache
Fever
Fatigue




I'd star and flag you again, but I did the other day when you posted this.

I had not seen that. My first thought on it went to pigs because of all the disease that has been happening in their population and how much we consume....

Thanks for the info and links....I have some more reading to do now.