Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
enzyme replacement seems to be the most promising treatment for
this rare and potentially lethal inherited disease.
Like many recombinant treatments for chronic diseases, the
recombinant replacement enzyme for Gaucher disease is very
expensive: A year's treatment can cost over $150,000, though most
private insurance companies will reimburse patients for its use.
PRO
OR
CON ?
Are the Prices for Biotechnology Fair?
Biotechnology drugs can cost a lot. Should they?
This is not a simple question. Biopharmaceuticals—usually large
and complex protein drugs—can cost patients, or their insurance
companies, tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for a
year's treatment, or in some cases, for just a few weeks' course of
treatment. These drugs may also be the only option to save a life, or
at least to extend, a patient's life for a few weeks, months, or years.
Whether the patient is old or young, a felon or an upstanding
citizen, how does society put a price on those weeks, months, or
years? The biotechnology drug may provide the most effective way
to treat the pain and stop the crippling effects of a chronic disease
such as multiple sclerosis or arthritis. The costs of discovering,
manufacturing, and testing a biotechnology drug are high, possibly
even higher than the $200 to $800 million estimated cost of
bringing any new drug, biotechnology product, or small chemical
to the market. Often, a company spends a quarter to half a billion
dollars to build a special factory to meet federal regulations and to
safely produce required amounts of needed proteins. Biotechnology
is a financially risky business; a drug can fail at any stage of testing.
Biotechnology companies may not make a profit for many years,
even after one or more biopharmaceuticals is approved for sale. On
the positive side, from a business point of view, a single successful
biotechnology drug can bring in hundreds of millions, even billions,
of dollars in sales.
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