High Cost of Zolgensma Medication: Families Struggle to Afford It - Essay Sample

Introduction

From the reading on the discovery of Zolgensma medication for spinal muscular atrophy, I think the main conclusion should be, "but because lawmakers have not tied such incentives to any price controls, and insurance may not cover all or any of the cost, families who desperately need Zolgensma are struggling to afford it" (Konrad, 2019). Pharmaceutical companies developing drugs for rare and neglected diseases are offering these drugs at relatively high prices. With the production of medicines for these chronic diseases, patients and physicians have high hopes for recovering, but the high costs then deem these hopes. Currently, these companies receive government incentives for developing drugs, including faster drug approvals, extended patent protections, and reduced taxations. However, there are no regulations to control the prices of these new drugs, and hence, patients are subjected to high treatment price tags. Additionally, due to the urgency needed in getting these medications to the market, the concerned organizations fail to check quality standards to ensure the safety and effectiveness of these drugs. Some of the concerned agencies are prone to manipulations or mishandling the data provided by the manufactures (Konrad, 2019). In this case, patients end up suffering a double tragedy as they are not assured whether these drugs are of the required standards for consumption. Drug manufacturers should be subjects to drug approval and price regulations to ensure that not only do patients receive quality medications but also at affordable prices.

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Assessment of Quality of the Argument

I agree with the argument from the reading based on the fact that drug manufacturers for rare and neglected diseases should be subjected to price control and data provision regulations. The regulations on pricing should be designed to ensure that pharmaceutical companies do not exceed a certain amount until the drugs are proven to perform the intended function. Price regulation should not only be based on selling to the patients but also should consider lowering the costs associated with getting the medicines through clinical trials to the finish line. By checking on such requirements, the newly produced drugs ought to be economical to the patients. The price regulations should also be designed to ensure that once proven to work; patients can access the medications without incurring too much. In ensuring that these drugs are safe and effective to patients, there should also be regulations to ensure that all necessary data is provided for quality checking (Konrad, 2019). Those drugs medicines which have been approved with minimal data should be subjects to further clinical testing while they are still in the market. The drug makers should be responsible for conducting further studies on the drugs. Drug manufacturers are obliged to work closely with F.D.A to ensure that the medicines pass all quality and safety standards before they are released to the public for consumption. Provision of data will ensure that the due process is followed for drugs approval. Those drugmakers found to have failed on follow-ups should be subjected to penalties (Konrad, 2019). Implementation of price and data provision regulations would go all way up to ensuring better services for patients as well as providing assurance for their health safety.

References

Konrad, N. (2019, August 16). Opinion | This Drug Will Save Children's Lives. It Costs $2 Million. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/opinion/novartis-drug-cost.html