HIV drug could be made for just $40 a year for every patient
www.theguardian.com
Generic version of a drug already on the market, which can suppress and prevent HIV, would still yield 30% profit if the current price was slashed, researchers say
  • nkat2112@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    3 months ago

    In a study presented at the 25th international Aids conference in Munich on Tuesday, experts calculated that the minimum price for mass production of a generic version, based on the costs of lenacapavir’s ingredients and manufacturing, and allowing for 30% profit, was $40 a year , assuming 10 million people used it annually. In the long-term, 60 million people would probably need to take the drug preventatively to lower HIV levels significantly, they said.

    Accounting for 30% profit seems reasonable to me.

    Yet they’re selling it for 1000x the price.

    I understand they need to recoup research costs, but…

    I have no other words.

    • DessertStorms@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      1·
      3 months ago

      I understand they need to recoup research costs, but…

      Except they don’t even need to do that, because, as is with most pharmaceuticals, the research was almost fully funded by the taxpayer.

      And the 30% profit is for a generic product, so the research has already been done.

      So yeah, 30% profit is of course much better than 3000%, but both are still obscene profiteering off of a lifesaving product paid for by, and then essentially withheld for ransom from, the general public.