Greg Post – Neulasta – the $6000.00 shot

$6000.00 is what our oncologist said it was… reading around on the web, it could be $3800.00….. haven’t seen the bill yet.  I also read on a forum that a oncologist posted that it cost $18.00 to produce and wholesaled at $1800.00.

So the deal is this… The day after she goes in for her Chemo Treatment, she has to come in for her Neulasta shot.  In a nutshell, here is why she needs to have this.  The chemo kills fast growing cells which could be cancer cells, but can also be white and red blood cells.  She needs the white blood cells count to stay at normal levels or else she could catch a infection and possibly die.  White blood cells are needed to fight infections.  The Neulasta stilmulates the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells.

Now a little history on the Neulasta… it is made by a company called Amgen.  They also make Neupogen, which is kindof the same thing but is only good for several hours, whereas the Neulasta is good for much longer.  So one shot of Neulasta can last thru your 2 week chemo cycle, whereas you might need daily injections of Neupogen.

Here is something I found regarding the Amgen company……

Neupogen & Neulasta

Neupogen and neulasta both treat a condition called neutropenia — a weakening of the immune system as a result of chemotherapy. Patients on high-dose chemotherapy sometimes develop infections that can be life-threatening due to their inability to fight off germs. Neulasta boosts these patients’ immune systems, making it less likely they will develop infections, and allowing the to tolerate higher doses of chemotherapy. Neulasta is a longer-acting version of Neupogen, requiring less-frequent injections. Neulasta is also significantly more expensive than Neupogen, and more profitable for Amgen as a result.

• Contracting: Oddly enough, Neupogen and Neulasta have been important levers to help the market share of another Amgen drug, Aranesp. Amgen ties discounts on Neupogen and Neulasta to the market share of Aranesp at an individual oncologist’s clinic, reserving the bests discounts on Neulasta for oncologists who use Aranesp almost exclusively. Neupogen and Neulasta do not have any significant competitors. Because oncologists purchase both red blood cell growth factors (such as Aranesp and Procrit), as well as white blood cell growth factors (such as Neupogen and Neulasta) oncologists have a financial incentive to use Aranesp. In fact, Because of the dynamics of medicare reimbursement, oncologists must receive discounts on Neulasta in order to break even — the reimbursement rate is less than the list price. As a result, oncologists who use J&J’s procrit lose money on Neulasta. Amgen competitor Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) alleges these contracting practices will push it out of the market, and violate anti-trust laws, in a lawsuit against Amgen.

Anyways, here is a couple of pics of these lovely drug in action.

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