Turing Pharmaceuticals is lowering the price of the important toxoplasmosis drug, Daraprim, by 50%. This is a cause for thanksgiving, as Martin Shkreli, the company’s CEO, raised the per pill price from $13.50 to $750.00 when Turing bought the rights to the drug. It will now cost $375.00 per pill. The price could still be better, but it is Thanksgiving, so we know to expect a turkey and Martin Shkreli doesn’t disappoint.
Martin Shkreli must have found some Thanksgiving spirit. His company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, announced this Tuesday that it’s lowering the price of a very important toxoplasmosis drug. It’s a happy Turing Thanksgiving as Daraprim’s price cut 50%.
Shkreli became the CEO everyone loves to hate earlier this year when his company bought the rights to 62-year-old Daraprim and immediately raised the price over 5,000%, from $13.50 per pill to $ $750.00 per pill. The drug is vital to the treatment of toxoplasmosis, a dangerous condition affecting pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems, such as HIV patients and those on chemotherapy.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Turing Thanksgiving without a turkey. Hi, Martin! While a 50% price cut is something for which to be thankful, especially for those who need the drug, that means it still costs $375.00 per pill in the U.S. In Europe, Daraprim can still be purchased for less than $1 per pill.
Turing is offering the 50% cut to hospitals, as 80% of toxoplasmosis encephalitis infections are handled in hospitals. Early in 2016, Turing will also offer smaller, 30-pill bottles, helping make the drug more affordable to stock. In-community doctors can get free starter packs for emergency situations.
According to Nancy Retzlaff, Turing’s Chief Commercial Officer, “Combined with our robust patient access programs, this is an important step in our commitment to ensure ready access to Daraprim at the lowest possible out-of-pocket cost for both hospitals and patients.”
Well, it’s a start. Maybe Shkreli will be visited by three ghosts this Christmas and lower the price of Daraprim to at truly affordable level.
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