America is an expensive place to get a disease.
Bloomberg reports sofosbuvir—a Hepatitis C "miracle cure"—that retails for $1,000 per pill in the US is currently going for $4.29 in India, and that price is continuing to drop. Like other pharmaceutical companies, Gilead Sciences is making generic versions of its drug available in developing countries. More than a dozen generic versions of sofosbuvir, which can get rid of Hepatitis C in just three months, are currently being sold by multiple companies in India. And those companies are constantly lowering prices to gain a bigger market share. “If one agrees to it, the others will also have to," an Indian gastroenterologist tells Bloomberg. "It’s a race where one cannot say no—because then they’re going to lose the business."
These cheap, generic versions of sofosbuvir are great for India, where at least 12 million people—and up to 50% of the population in some areas—have Hepatitis C, Bloomberg reports. But in the US, the steep price—nearly $95,000 for a 12-week course—is limiting access.
Bloomberg reports sofosbuvir—a Hepatitis C "miracle cure"—that retails for $1,000 per pill in the US is currently going for $4.29 in India, and that price is continuing to drop. Like other pharmaceutical companies, Gilead Sciences is making generic versions of its drug available in developing countries. More than a dozen generic versions of sofosbuvir, which can get rid of Hepatitis C in just three months, are currently being sold by multiple companies in India. And those companies are constantly lowering prices to gain a bigger market share. “If one agrees to it, the others will also have to," an Indian gastroenterologist tells Bloomberg. "It’s a race where one cannot say no—because then they’re going to lose the business."
These cheap, generic versions of sofosbuvir are great for India, where at least 12 million people—and up to 50% of the population in some areas—have Hepatitis C, Bloomberg reports. But in the US, the steep price—nearly $95,000 for a 12-week course—is limiting access.
