$93,000 cancer drug - How much is a few months of life worth?

BOSTON — Cancer patients, brace yourselves. Many new drug treatments cost nearly $100,000 a year, sparking fresh debate about how much a few months more of life is worth.

The latest is Provenge, a first-of-a-kind therapy approved in April. It costs $93,000 a year and adds four months' survival, on average, for men with incurable prostate tumors.

For the last decade, new cancer-fighting drugs have been topping $5,000 a month. Only a few of these keep cancer in remission so long that they are, in effect, cures.

Celgene Corp.'s Revlimid pill for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, can run as much as $10,000 a month; so can Genentech's Avastin for certain cancers. Now Dendreon Corp.'s Provenge rockets price into a new orbit.

Story here

Even given the price of R&D, I think pharmaceutical companies are charging too much for pills.

most people spend alot of their lives worrying about money, so why do it in your last months.

that is crazy, what would really be great is if they found a cure. they probably have, they just wouldn't get a much money if they released it.

that is crazy, what would really be great is if they found a cure. they probably have, they just wouldn't get a much money if they released it.

xJust_CraZyx

Essentially true.

There is far more money to be made in treatment than there is in cure.

we could actually cure cancer with 15,000 units of vitamin D. Question the system.

well.. Its worth every penny you have. You wont need money after those few months

BOSTON — Cancer patients, brace yourselves. Many new drug treatments cost nearly $100,000 a year, sparking fresh debate about how much a few months more of life is worth.

The latest is Provenge, a first-of-a-kind therapy approved in April. It costs $93,000 a year and adds four months' survival, on average, for men with incurable prostate tumors.

For the last decade, new cancer-fighting drugs have been topping $5,000 a month. Only a few of these keep cancer in remission so long that they are, in effect, cures.

Celgene Corp.'s Revlimid pill for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, can run as much as $10,000 a month; so can Genentech's Avastin for certain cancers. Now Dendreon Corp.'s Provenge rockets price into a new orbit.

Story here

Even given the price of R&D, I think pharmaceutical companies are charging too much for pills.

topsemag55

Welcome to the real world. Scientists are mercenaries, not humanitarians. If desperatepeople will pay that much money for something that will prolong their life severalmonths why would anyonerelease acure? A cure doesn't keep people coming back to buy more. They are not trying to save lives they are trying to drain sick wealthy people. Personally I wouldn't buy it.**** it, I have to die sometime soI wouldn't let some mercs hustle the families estate out of me.

[QUOTE="topsemag55"]

BOSTON — Cancer patients, brace yourselves. Many new drug treatments cost nearly $100,000 a year, sparking fresh debate about how much a few months more of life is worth.

The latest is Provenge, a first-of-a-kind therapy approved in April. It costs $93,000 a year and adds four months' survival, on average, for men with incurable prostate tumors.

For the last decade, new cancer-fighting drugs have been topping $5,000 a month. Only a few of these keep cancer in remission so long that they are, in effect, cures.

Celgene Corp.'s Revlimid pill for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, can run as much as $10,000 a month; so can Genentech's Avastin for certain cancers. Now Dendreon Corp.'s Provenge rockets price into a new orbit.

Story here

Even given the price of R&D, I think pharmaceutical companies are charging too much for pills.

MagnumPI

Welcome to the real world. Scientists are mercenaries, not humanitarians.

False. It's the pharmaceutical companies that are the greedy bastards. The scientists are paid salary.

we could actually cure cancer with 15,000 units of vitamin D. Question the system.

AgentFreaks

we could actually cure cancer with 15,000 units of vitamin D. Question the system.

AgentFreaks

No you can't. The reason there isn't a cure for most cancers (and why there never will be) is that each and every cancer is different. Some cancers we've managed to all but eliminate, but those are usually very specific and have to be caught early on. Furthermore, the longer they last the harder to target and kill they get.

You're dealing with a disease whose cells are exactly like your own, but unconctrollable and faster at evolving and spreading. The fact that we even have cancer drugs is a miracle in itself, considering how hard it is fight one specific part of your own body without killing the rest. Simply throwing a ton of vitamins at the problem isn't going to help anything.

My mother currently is suffering through recurring breast cancer. This is her.. er.. .. ok you know i lost count many rounds its been. I think its her 3rd or 4th. Some of the tests she has to have done to see if it has spread for example... some of those are way out of the ability to pay for it and still live under a roof. Fortunately, her doctors are actually really awesome and they flipped the bill for the last 2 tests she had to have done cause her insurance would not pay for it. Those doctors... those are really good doctors and angels. Without those tests my mom would have died a long time ago. Shes not really in much pain and shes enjoying her time with her grandkids, and my girls are absolutely loving their time with their Nana. ... sorry. Guess my point is... you cant put a price on 'just a few more months' sometimes... xhellcatx

Those are some great doctors...I truly hope your mom gets better soon.:)

[QUOTE="AgentFreaks"]

we could actually cure cancer with 15,000 units of vitamin D. Question the system.

jaydough

I wonder if not_jaydough would agree.:P

[QUOTE="xhellcatx"]My mother currently is suffering through recurring breast cancer. This is her.. er.. .. ok you know i lost count many rounds its been. I think its her 3rd or 4th. Some of the tests she has to have done to see if it has spread for example... some of those are way out of the ability to pay for it and still live under a roof. Fortunately, her doctors are actually really awesome and they flipped the bill for the last 2 tests she had to have done cause her insurance would not pay for it. Those doctors... those are really good doctors and angels. Without those tests my mom would have died a long time ago. Shes not really in much pain and shes enjoying her time with her grandkids, and my girls are absolutely loving their time with their Nana. ... sorry. Guess my point is... you cant put a price on 'just a few more months' sometimes... topsemag55

Those are some great doctors...I truly hope your mom gets better soon.:)

[QUOTE="jaydough"]

[QUOTE="AgentFreaks"]

we could actually cure cancer with 15,000 units of vitamin D. Question the system.

topsemag55

I wonder if not_jaydough would agree.:P

[QUOTE="topsemag55"]

[QUOTE="xhellcatx"]My mother currently is suffering through recurring breast cancer. This is her.. er.. .. ok you know i lost count many rounds its been. I think its her 3rd or 4th. Some of the tests she has to have done to see if it has spread for example... some of those are way out of the ability to pay for it and still live under a roof. Fortunately, her doctors are actually really awesome and they flipped the bill for the last 2 tests she had to have done cause her insurance would not pay for it. Those doctors... those are really good doctors and angels. Without those tests my mom would have died a long time ago. Shes not really in much pain and shes enjoying her time with her grandkids, and my girls are absolutely loving their time with their Nana. ... sorry. Guess my point is... you cant put a price on 'just a few more months' sometimes... xhellcatx

Those are some great doctors...I truly hope your mom gets better soon.:)

*hugs for Hellcat and your mom*

[QUOTE="topsemag55"]

[QUOTE="jaydough"] That sounds.... Completely untrue.

Not-Jaydough

I wonder if not_jaydough would agree.:P

:lol:

I wondered where you've been.:P

thanks capitalism for overtaking compassion

we could actually cure cancer with 15,000 units of vitamin D. Question the system.

AgentFreaks

Through what mechanism of action could it destroy the cells, stop the replication, and/or reverse the mutations?

[QUOTE="MagnumPI"]

[QUOTE="topsemag55"]

BOSTON — Cancer patients, brace yourselves. Many new drug treatments cost nearly $100,000 a year, sparking fresh debate about how much a few months more of life is worth.

The latest is Provenge, a first-of-a-kind therapy approved in April. It costs $93,000 a year and adds four months' survival, on average, for men with incurable prostate tumors.

For the last decade, new cancer-fighting drugs have been topping $5,000 a month. Only a few of these keep cancer in remission so long that they are, in effect, cures.

Celgene Corp.'s Revlimid pill for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, can run as much as $10,000 a month; so can Genentech's Avastin for certain cancers. Now Dendreon Corp.'s Provenge rockets price into a new orbit.

Story here

Even given the price of R&D, I think pharmaceutical companies are charging too much for pills.

Guybrush_3

Welcome to the real world. Scientists are mercenaries, not humanitarians.

False. It's the pharmaceutical companies that are the greedy bastards. The scientists are paid salary.

life should be only prolonged when it's practical and necessary. not just because.EMOEVOLUTION

Well then we should all just die because living is never necessary its a gift.

life should be only prolonged when it's practical and necessary. not just because.EMOEVOLUTION

oh sure, lets stop administering medicine all together, cause it .. oh noez it saves lives! And if you end up having your artery punctured, I dont wanna hear you complaining that your dying :| cause.. yanno its impractical to try to stop the bleeding. ... xhellcatx

*sees Hellcat's claws extending...runs to safety*:P

It would sound crazy , but a man here in my country actually cures people from cancer , all cancer , really , but his story is long so I wont be posting it if no one asked.gubrushadow

Yeah, it does sound crazy. Because it's impossible.

It would sound crazy , but a man here in my country actually cures people from cancer , all cancer , really , but his story is long so I wont be posting it if no one asked.gubrushadow

شيخ؟

It would sound crazy , but a man here in my country actually cures people from cancer , all cancer , really , but his story is long so I wont be posting it if no one asked.gubrushadow

I didn't pay the website any money, so my teeth are still yellow.

[QUOTE="gubrushadow"]

Yeah, it does sound crazy. Because it's impossible.

metroidfood

[QUOTE="gubrushadow"]It would sound crazy , but a man here in my country actually cures people from cancer , all cancer , really , but his story is long so I wont be posting it if no one asked.GazaAli

When you are in that situation your opinion changes.

Scientist I see ;)GazaAli

Surely he is the man who shall cure all of our ailments.

Scientist I see ;)GazaAli

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]Scientist I see ;)gubrushadow

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]Scientist I see ;)jaydough

Surely he is the man who shall cure all of our ailments.

[QUOTE="gubrushadow"][QUOTE="GazaAli"]Scientist I see ;)jaydough

The idea that there isn't a cure for cancer because there's no money to be made from curing it is ridiculous. Cancer isn't some contagious disease that can be wiped out if enough people are cured. People develop cancer all the time. Pretty much everybody has a risk for some type of cancer, so there's always going to be new cases. Furthermore many cancers are curable with proper treatment and if they're caught early enough.

[QUOTE="jaydough"]

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]Scientist I see ;)gubrushadow

Surely he is the man who shall cure all of our ailments.

Sorry.

thanks capitalism for overtaking compassion

legend26

join the communist union comrade

[QUOTE="jaydough"]

[QUOTE="gubrushadow"] He's actually a poor guy who the goverment hate , I was so sad on him when they charged him . :cry:gubrushadow

Well, now I'm officially depressed.GazaAli

Same here :cry:

well.. Its worth every penny you have. You wont need money after those few months

VendettaRed07

[QUOTE="gubrushadow"][QUOTE="jaydough"] He has a degree in homeopathic medicine!

Surely he is the man who shall cure all of our ailments.

jaydough

Sorry.

There's a drug that will do the same thing for free. It's called optimism. :?Maniacc1

You can't be serious. That is just ignorant.