NIH march-in case for Xtandi
The National Institutes of Health (HHS) has been asked by four prostate cancer patients to end the monopoly on enzalutamide (Xtandi), over its high price in the USA (3 to 5 times more expensive in the USA than in any other country). The NIH says it will make an initial determination within a month. The NIH is accepting evidence in the case here: Tara A. Schwetz, Ph.D., Acting Principal Deputy Director, NIH, email: NIHExecSec@nih.gov. The petition to HHS on this by Robert Sachs and my brother Clare Love is here: https://www.keionline.org/37142, and a Stat News story about the case is here: https://www.statnews.com/2022/01/03/march-in-rights-protect-prostate-cancer-patients-from-excessive-drug-prices/. I am keen to hear from anyone about the co-payments for this drug or challenges getting insurance to pay, which will be relevant for the case. There are two generic companies approved by the FDA to sell low cost versions, but the patent issues have to be resolved (hence, the march-in case). james.love@keionline.org
Hope you get a few responses - this is a very important issue and needs to be addressed. Early on I needed to take a drug every day for a year. At the time the US cost was $60 a pill way over Europe and Canada pricing . Today thanks to competition and more the cost is $5 each. Pays to put pressure on. ...Good luck
My husband isn't on Xtani yet, but that will likely be his next course of treatment as the cancer continues to progress. We've checked into pricing and insurance coverage, or lack of, and it's astounding and frightening. I hope the NIH takes a serious look at this and makes some needed changes. Thanks for bringing this to our attention and taking steps to to have this addressed.
