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Bernie Sanders

JonLP24

(29,725 posts)

1. Senator Sanders asks why drug, once free, now costs $375k

Reply to Donkees (Original post)

Mon Feb 4, 2019, 06:02 PM

Feb 2019

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Catalyst Pharmaceuticals on Monday asking it to justify its decision to charge $375,000 annually for a medication that for years has been available to patients for free.

The drug, Firdapse, is used to treat Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS), a rare neuromuscular disorder, according to the letter, made available to Reuters by the senator's office. The disorder affects about one in 100,000 people in the United States.

The government is intensifying its scrutiny of the pharmaceutical industry and rising prescription drug prices, a top voter concern and a priority of President Donald Trump's administration.
https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN1PT0ZJ

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Video: This Life-Saving Drug Just Went From $0 to $375,000 [View all] Donkees Feb 2019 OP

Senator Sanders asks why drug, once free, now costs $375k JonLP24 Feb 2019 #1