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So when I was in the hospital, I probably had 8 shots of Lovenox. The hospital had to check with my pharmacy ahead of time to make sure they had my prescription in stock before releasing me. I asked why. "Well, we could go ahead and release you, but if your insurance does not cover it, the retail is $1000 each syringe."
So I went home and picked up my $14,000 prescription from the pharmacy. Part of them were loose and the other 10 syringes of 120mg @ came in a box 3 x 6 x 6. It was hard to comprehend these dimensions held $10k of legal drugs. It got me to thinking, "What does a brick of coke this size cost?" "What is the most expensive illegal drug out there?"
I DID find out what the most expensive LEGAL drug was and I'm not even close.
"The most expensive prescription medication available currently is Idursulfase, the recombinant form of the human lysosomal enzyme, iduronate-2-sulfatase. It is approved for use as enzyme replacement therapy in patients with Hunter syndrome (Mucopolysaccharidosis II, MPS II). Currently, the only commecial available Idursulfase goes under the trade name, Elaprase™, created via recombinant DNA technology in a human cell line by the company Shire Human Genetics Therapies, Inc.
It is dosed in 6 mg vial for intravenous administration. The recommended dose is 0.5 mg/kg every week by intravenous infusion over one to three hours. Idursulfase costs $4,215 for a 6 mg vial and the cost for treatment of a 35 kg patient is $657,000 per year."
So I went home and picked up my $14,000 prescription from the pharmacy. Part of them were loose and the other 10 syringes of 120mg @ came in a box 3 x 6 x 6. It was hard to comprehend these dimensions held $10k of legal drugs. It got me to thinking, "What does a brick of coke this size cost?" "What is the most expensive illegal drug out there?"
I DID find out what the most expensive LEGAL drug was and I'm not even close.
"The most expensive prescription medication available currently is Idursulfase, the recombinant form of the human lysosomal enzyme, iduronate-2-sulfatase. It is approved for use as enzyme replacement therapy in patients with Hunter syndrome (Mucopolysaccharidosis II, MPS II). Currently, the only commecial available Idursulfase goes under the trade name, Elaprase™, created via recombinant DNA technology in a human cell line by the company Shire Human Genetics Therapies, Inc.
It is dosed in 6 mg vial for intravenous administration. The recommended dose is 0.5 mg/kg every week by intravenous infusion over one to three hours. Idursulfase costs $4,215 for a 6 mg vial and the cost for treatment of a 35 kg patient is $657,000 per year."
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