A recent study from Bentley University shows that NIH investment in new drug approvals is on par with what pharmaceutical companies shell out, with $187 billion of public funding going into development of FDA approved drugs. Yep, that’s your taxpayer dollars. But despite this massive public contribution, pharmaceutical companies slap patents on these drugs, jack up the prices, and limit access. Medicine—especially when it’s publicly funded—should serve humanity, not corporate profits. So, why are we paying taxes to fund pharmaceutical companies and not getting any of the benefits?! Let’s talk about what these pharmaceutical companies are actually researching with your hard-earned money. Enter Auvelity, a new drug FDA approved for depression. What is it? Just dextromethorphan and bupropion in a single pill. Both are already available as generics. But Auvelity costs $600 to $1000 for a 30-day supply. Meanwhile, you could buy bupropion ER 150mg for $15 and a box of Coricidin Cough & Cold (which contains dextromethorphan 30mg) for $10, giving you a pretty close generic version of Auvelity for $25. (Okay, not an exact match, but close enough.) They love this trick—combine two existing meds, slap on a new patent, and voilà: you’ve got an excuse to keep the price sky-high. This is NOT innovation; just a clever tactic 🤦🏼‍♀️ We spent between $1.3 billion and $2.6 billion to get Auvelity FDA approved. That’s how much it costs to bring a drug to market. Now, let’s put that in perspective: the estimated annual cost to end homelessness in the U.S. is around $20 billion. Just 1/20th of that drug development cost could make a dent in solving homelessness. Here are 19 other drugs that follow the same formula: 1. Treximet (Sumatriptan + Naproxen Sodium) 2. Entresto (Sacubitril + Valsartan) 3. Vimovo (Naproxen + Esomeprazole) 4. Janumet (Sitagliptin + Metformin) 5. Xigduo XR (Dapagliflozin + Metformin) 6. Qsymia (Phentermine + Topiramate) 7. Caduet (Amlodipine + Atorvastatin) 8. Twynsta (Amlodipine + Telmisartan) 9. Prinzide (Lisinopril + Hydrochlorothiazide) 10. Vytorin (Ezetimibe + Simvastatin) 11. Simcor (Simvastatin + Niacin) 12. Advicor (Lovastatin + Niacin) 13. Zegerid (Omeprazole + Sodium Bicarbonate) 14. Copaxone (Glatiramer Acetate + Mannitol) 15. Glucovance (Glyburide + Metformin) 16. Duetact (Pioglitazone + Glimepiride) 17. Crestor + Ezetimibe (Rosuvastatin + Ezetimibe) 18. Prestalia (Perindopril + Amlodipine) 19. Combigan (Brimonidine + Timolol) Boom 💥 Our taxes could have already solved homelessness in the U.S. Instead, they’re being funneled into the hands of corporations and billionaires to fund space trips to Mars while leaving the rest of us behind on a crumbling planet. Who the hell is in charge here?! 🤨 This is unacceptable. It does nothing for humanity as a whole and simply lines the pockets of a few. (Yes, I know it’s a bit more complicated than that, but honestly, not really 🤑)

Posted by Dr. Emily Kulpa at 2024-10-21 17:59:04 UTC