Biotech Values

[Rocky3]

I read it very differently. There is still a big (if not gigantic) untreated population - mostly due to price even at today's prices.

The quote

Sample of the hyperbole; "GEE: To me, that is unacceptable, but it's also unacceptable for me to pay over $700 million and have to cut primary education, gut our payments to universities and decimate the health care delivery system for just one disease condition. It shouldn't have to be that way."

holds together very well based upon the prior number of 35,000 untreated people dependent on state funding. The article does not say specifically that it applies to the $700MM, but that is how I read it.

That equates to a price of $20,000 per patient. That number is still more than states like Louisiana have or will spend on the poor or imprisoned. If GILD (and/or ABBV) would agree to an annual price of something (maybe $100MM/yr) to treat the population over a 3-5 year period, it might be acceptable to Louisiana on the basis that it is still less than $20,000/patient and is payable on a multi-year basis rather than upfront. The point that these patients will never be treated because of the current cost to "poor" states is a very good one. Either the price most be much lower (25%?) of the current price, or a payment system over time most to agreed to. Not much different than how GILD agreed to treat those HVC patients in Australia.

JMO.