PHOTO
21 July 2016
RIYADH: Drug prices have risen dramatically recently, placing a financial burden on the patients, especially those with low income.
Health media consultant Subhi Al-Haddad, a pharmacist with the Ministry of Health, said that some treatments cost more than half a million riyals per patient.
According to him, one course of treatment of hepatitis "C" with drugs provided by the ministry exceeds SR100,000 per month. One patient needs at least three courses. Alsuvalda, which is used to treat the same disease, costs more than $1,000 per pill, he said.
"Patients with the hepatitis C virus may need the supportive drug Ribavirin, a course of which costs half a million riyals per patient," he added, saying that the responsibility of pricing drugs has shifted from the ministry to the General Authority for Food and Drug Administration.
The reason, Haddad said, is that the manufacturers spend millions to create new drugs and to buy patents.
RIYADH: Drug prices have risen dramatically recently, placing a financial burden on the patients, especially those with low income.
Health media consultant Subhi Al-Haddad, a pharmacist with the Ministry of Health, said that some treatments cost more than half a million riyals per patient.
According to him, one course of treatment of hepatitis "C" with drugs provided by the ministry exceeds SR100,000 per month. One patient needs at least three courses. Alsuvalda, which is used to treat the same disease, costs more than $1,000 per pill, he said.
"Patients with the hepatitis C virus may need the supportive drug Ribavirin, a course of which costs half a million riyals per patient," he added, saying that the responsibility of pricing drugs has shifted from the ministry to the General Authority for Food and Drug Administration.
The reason, Haddad said, is that the manufacturers spend millions to create new drugs and to buy patents.
© Arab News 2016
