News Forum - Health Ministry’s plan to purchase new Covid-19 treatment pill gets the green light

[Thaiger]

Yesterday, the CCSA approved a proposal from the Public Health Ministry to procure a new oral treatment for Covid-19. The ministry plans to purchase 50,000 courses of the anti-viral Molnupiravir drug developed by pharmaceutical firm Merck. The proposal now goes to Cabinet for final approval. The news was confirmed by CCSA spokesman, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, who would not be drawn on price or delivery times. According to a Thai PBS World report, Merck has been accused of overcharging for the drug, with a 5-day course of treatment priced at US$712. Analysts at Harvard and King’s College London say the production […]

The story Health Ministry’s plan to purchase new Covid-19 treatment pill gets the green light as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Bob20]

You've got to laugh...

Only one week ago, it was reported they pre-booked 200.000 courses.

Today it's 50.000

Now, negotiating, ordering, cancelling, re-negotiating, signing with photo-op, losing contract, finding contract, delayed payment...

I'm guessing March/April

.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2193599/deal-for-mercks-new-anti-covid-pill-nears

[gummy]

2 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

You've got to laugh...

Only one week ago, it was reported they pre-booked 200.000 courses.

Today it's 50.000

Now, negotiating, ordering, cancelling, re-negotiating, signing with photo-op, losing contract, finding contract, delayed payment...

I'm guessing March/April

.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2193599/deal-for-mercks-new-anti-covid-pill-nears

Possibly they have reduced the order size as the kick-backs they were asking for was reduced significantly also.

[Bob20]

2 minutes ago, gummy said:

Possibly they have reduced the order size as the kick-backs they were asking for was reduced significantly also.

I'm starting to think like that too. Never mind, they can always order more later and join the line (at the back-end again...)

[gummy]

5 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I'm starting to think like that too. Never mind, they can always order more later and join the line (at the back-end again...)

Never doubt the level of corruption and sincerity that this entire administration can stoop to to fill their bank accounts.

[Bob20]

8 minutes ago, gummy said:

Never doubt the level of corruption and sincerity that this entire administration can stoop to to fill their bank accounts.

They may make money from marking-up the price to patients. And they may get things in kind from the manufacturer, like training in administering, attending conferences on the drug etc. But following many years of corruption, US and EU pharma are bound by new and strict regulations since about 7 years ago. Even any discounts must show on the original invoice.

What is done to circumvent it, is that products are bought not directly by a government but by an intermediary, that then re-sells the same product on at a profit. That would be a Thai matter though.

I know there's much criticism and I know that pharma fell foul of moral standards in the past. But they are now bound by stern regulations, so other cracks in the law are now abused until they are closed too...

[Malc-Thai]

Isn't this the wonder drug, that if only taken with mild symptoms 50%  won't go on to be hospitalised !

 

[Bob20]

19 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

Isn't this the wonder drug, that if only taken with mild symptoms 50%  won't go on to be hospitalised !

It's the wonderdrug that, if you're hospitalised with mild to moderate symptoms, will stop it from getting severe in 50% of cases.

I can just see what would happen on Shopee or Lazada if this was given to a patient to take home so that's unlikely.

[Griff1315]

22 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

Isn't this the wonder drug, that if only taken with mild symptoms 50%  won't go on to be hospitalised !

Wonder drug sold for $712 a course yet only $7 to produce that's the one yeah...

[Malc-Thai]

13 minutes ago, Griff1315 said:

Wonder drug sold for $712 a course yet only $7 to produce that's the one yeah...

In fairness, the drug companies spend millions developing these drugs and many never make it to use.. That cost has to be put on any new drugs they produce.. the price does normally come down after a while when they get the production process in line and again those costs paid for.. sadly that never gets taken into consideration in the news, just how much they think it costs to produce to what it sells for..

[Bob20]

I'd like to just calm everyone down.

The info in the article is misleading at best.

 

• Some countries will be paying $12 per patient, while the US agreed to pay $712 per treatment course.

Merck has reached agreements with eight generic drug companies, allowing each of them to sell molnupiravir in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries. These generic companies will compete on price, with one report saying they are expected to charge about $12 to $15 per treatment course.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-merck-is-pricing-its-covid-19-pill-molnupiravir-globally-2021-10

So, just like Pfizer they're actually doing their bit in these hard times.

But I can understand why some want us to think they paid top dollar

 

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

Taweesin says the Public Health Ministry plans to procure another 127 million Covid vaccine doses this year, which includes 62.5 doses of the Chinese Sinopharm

So half the vaccine doses coming this year (assuming the others all come) are Sinopharm ...

... that little gem was slipped in quietly ...

[Stonker]

10 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I'd like to just calm everyone down.

The info in the article is misleading at best.

• Some countries will be paying $12 per patient, while the US agreed to pay $712 per treatment course.

Merck has reached agreements with eight generic drug companies, allowing each of them to sell molnupiravir in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries. These generic companies will compete on price, with one report saying they are expected to charge about $12 to $15 per treatment course.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-merck-is-pricing-its-covid-19-pill-molnupiravir-globally-2021-10

So, just like Pfizer they're actually doing their bit in these hard times.

But I can understand why some want us to think they paid top dollar

Well, @Bob20, since only one unidentified report says what they're "expected" to charge, that doesn't really show that "they're actually doing their bit in these hard times" ... just that some fall for the spin that "some want us to think"

[Stonker]

20 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Merck has reached agreements with eight generic drug companies, allowing each of them to sell molnupiravir in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries

... and since Thailand didn't qualify for Covax as a "low-and middle-income country", unfortunately it's unlikely to be on that list ...

[Malc-Thai]

3 hours ago, Bob20 said:

I'd like to just calm everyone down.

The info in the article is misleading at best.

• Some countries will be paying $12 per patient, while the US agreed to pay $712 per treatment course.

Merck has reached agreements with eight generic drug companies, allowing each of them to sell molnupiravir in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries. These generic companies will compete on price, with one report saying they are expected to charge about $12 to $15 per treatment course.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-merck-is-pricing-its-covid-19-pill-molnupiravir-globally-2021-10

So, just like Pfizer they're actually doing their bit in these hard times.

But I can understand why some want us to think they paid top dollar

Amazing ..getting it at a cheaper price so let's order less

[Viggen840]

4000% mark-up! Now who was it said big pharma is here to help (themselves)?

[Bob20]

1 hour ago, Viggen840 said:

4000% mark-up! Now who was it said big pharma is here to help (themselves)?

May want to read this:

https://thethaiger.com/talk/topic/6767-news-forum-health-ministry’s-plan-to-purchase-new-covid-19-treatment-pill-gets-the-green-light/?do=findComment&comment=83565