E-drug: EU Orphan Drug Regulation
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[Low traffic on E-drug has softened the moderator. This is not quite within
the scope of E-drug. Please feel free to respond to E-drug or directly to H.
Crompton. KM]
This message refers to the article from the Guardian Weekly posted on E-drug
2 July:
EU loophole sends drug prices soaring
Quote: Doctors say companies are exploiting regulations on life-saving
treatments for patients with rare diseases
The prices of cheap, life-saving treatments for rare children's
diseases are being increased by drug companies to levels where
hospitals can barely afford them.
The companies are exploiting EU regulations concerning "orphan
drugs" -drugs which are of benefit to fewer than five per 10,000
people - despite the rules being put in place in order to encourage
the invention of new medicines.
[snip]
The orphan drug regulations were passed in Europe in 1999,
following similar legislation in the US. They were intended to reward
companies that invested in research leading to new drugs for rarer
diseases which would not normally have a big market. But
companies such as Orphan Europe are taking commonly
used products through the licensing system and reaping the
benefits even though they have not invented the drugs and have
spent nothing on original research.
"It's a scam and it should be exposed as such," said Sam
Richmond, consultant neonatologist at Sunderland district general
hospital. "It would appear we have no alternative but to pay their
outrageous price or break the law." end quote
I am researching the process and effects of the EU Orphan Drug Regulation
and I would welcome any
comments.
H. Crompton (GBS)
Manchester Metropolitan University Business School (ACA-MAN)
e.mail h.crompton@mmu.ac.uk
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