It is a new-generation, direct-acting, antiviral medication created by Gilead Sciences, which changed the treatment for people with hepatitis C. This drug has more than 90% cure certification but is priced at an extremely astronomical price. Hence, this further fuels world controversy, stimulation, and debate in terms of access and affordability.
Table of Contents
Sofosbuvir Price Debate
The Sofosbuvir price was therefore put at a price of 84,000 to 168,000 dollars per cycle in the US market . This burgeoning burden sensation of ultra-high prices started raising its head and called for uproars from the fairly-sizeable bouncy patients, health care providers, and government officials. In 2014, prices of the drug dropped quite substantially per . Democrats Henry Waxman and Frank Pallone Jr. along with Diana DeGette of the House have written to Gilead’s chief executive officer about the $84,000 price tag of the drug and public health.
And this excessive price was not only in the U.S. market but also leading the footprint in the United Kingdom, for example-a 12-week course costing £35,000-where Japanese and South Korean patients paid $300 and $5,900, respectively, for their treatments. Such colossal differences in pricing really indicated that this is a global issue and not only for local affordability.
Cost of Production vs. Pricing
One estimate published in the journal PLOS One pegged the cost of manufacture of a 12-week course of sofosbuvir at between $68 and $136. This gigantic difference that exists between the said production cost and market price has ignited a very loud debate on the issue of fair pricing and access to essential medicines.
Gilead Sciences contended this astronomical amount was called for in view of the huge risk and cost involved in research and development. But critics were quick to point out that it actually paid only $11.2 billion for Pharmasset, the company primarily responsible for inventing the drug and that the bulk of the early-stage research was done under public grants.
Impact on Patient Access and Public Health
The high price attributed to sofosbuvir has resulted in severe barriers to care. In response, most U.S. payers have utilised very tight coverage restrictions, or rigid qualification criteria, that delay initiation of care. This subsequently tends to disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations-the poor.
Matters are even worse in the low- and middle-income countries. The cost-utility analysis recently conducted in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal reported that sofosbuvir-based regimens at originator prices were not cost-effective When generic prices came into play, this changed everything around to the extent that sofosbuvir/daclatasvir became the regimen of choice with much lower costs but similar health benefits.
Improvement in Affordability
However, with the furor this pricing generated, Gilead Sciences caved in a bit to ensure that sofosbuvir reaches out to more people. The company announced last year it would collaborate with generic manufacturers to make and sell the drug in 91 developing countries. It also agreed to sell a name-brand version in India for about $300 per course of treatment.
These too were not good enough hence criticised. In 2015, Doctors of the World opposed a Gilead patent at the European Patent Office on grounds that this price being asked is too high. Further, generic competition has been limited because of patent barriers, as well as Gilead licensing agreements.
Conclusion
Sofosbuvir’s price is a trade-off between innovation, affordability, and public health. With the potential to cure millions of people suffering from hepatitis C, the high price started to act as a barrier to access. Many stakeholders will pay heed to this question by resorting to policy reform on fair pricing, higher generic capability, and commitment to sharing life-saving treatment with all who would benefit in the end.
More infomation : Everolimus price
