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Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

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231–240 of 245 posts

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

being free means taxpayers will pay. and being on the public system means it will be prescribed only for health risk, just like plastic surgery already is. you don't see people getting nose jobs just because.

First, it seems obvious to me that they'll prescribe it to everyone who, supposedly, undergoes bariatric surgery through the SUS. Generic Ozempic is certainly cheaper than bariatric surgery. That said, I believe it will go even further. To get medication through the SUS, you only need a prescription from a doctor. Any doctor. So even if the SUS itself don't prescribe, you can just find a doctor who will do it... But,…

> To get medication through the SUS, you only need a prescription from a doctor.

Not in all cases. They can and will make the patient and multiple doctors fill out half a dozen forms to "justify" the use of an expensive medication.

Probably won't happen at first, politicians need to make good on their promises after all. But it will happen. I just got done filling out the forms for a COPD medication that's much cheaper than semaglutide. Only political intervention can save it.

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#232
post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The price in Canada is ~$175 USD month for name brand Ozempic where I am with no coupons, or other discounts. I see prices in the US around $800+/month. That is significantly cheaper than the US, and cheaper than other GLP-1 class drugs up here, arguably reasonable. Is the supposition that they would have been forced to charge even less? If so, why are their competitors who kept their patents not charging more? Count…

The US price for name brand is around $500/mo. More than $175, but not $800.

500 usd = 700 cad. So probably more an imprecise currency issue.

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes I’m in the USA. I just mentioned that because nobody I know is paying $800/mo. They are buying compounded injections online.

roughly how much are they paying, then?

I pay about $300 for a “one month supply”, which lasts me around 12 weeks.

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First, it seems obvious to me that they'll prescribe it to everyone who, supposedly, undergoes bariatric surgery through the SUS. Generic Ozempic is certainly cheaper than bariatric surgery. That said, I believe it will go even further. To get medication through the SUS, you only need a prescription from a doctor. Any doctor. So even if the SUS itself don't prescribe, you can just find a doctor who will do it... But,…

> To get medication through the SUS, you only need a prescription from a doctor. Not in all cases. They can and will make the patient and multiple doctors fill out half a dozen forms to "justify" the use of an expensive medication. Probably won't happen at first, politicians need to make good on their promises after all. But it will happen. I just got done filling out the forms for a COPD medication that's much cheap…

> Not in all cases. They can and will make the patient and multiple doctors fill out half a dozen forms to "justify" the use of an expensive medication.

But any doctor can do it, not just SUS doctors. You know the country we live in. Private doctors will do the prescription... Actually, to buy it you already need a prescription, and yet, even skinny healthy folks buy ozempic.

And to get in the SUS, it's pretty simple here in Paraná at least (and as a SUS user). The worst that happens, it's that for expensive/controlled medicines, they centralize into a single public pharmacy in the city center, and you need to schedule a day/time, and bring the ID - don't even need to be the user, you can ask anyone you want to get it if the prescription and ID it's there.

Which is why for my cheap medicine, I prefer to buy it. Not worth for me going to city center only for 30 pills that cost R$ 15.

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#235
post #150
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people, including legal experts, claim it could have been intentional: https://www.legal.io/articles/5691258/Novo-Nordisk-Lets-Cana... . I was surprised Science didn't discuss this option. However, reader comments in Science do comment on this possibility. The idea is that letting the patent lapse would avoid getting regulated by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. I know several people working at NN, and…

I'm having trouble understanding the argument outlined in the legal.io link: > Nordisk has rejected any suggestion that the loss of its Canadian semaglutide patent was a simple mistake. In a statement cited by Fortune, the company stressed that its intellectual property strategy is “carefully considered at a global level,” indicating intentionality rather than a blunder. > Legal analysts believe the decision was deli…

Back in 2018, it wasn't widely known that Ozempic would become a blockbuster weight loss drug. So it was possible they made the business decision based on its more limited use as a diabetes drug.

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#237
post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it's extremely common. everyone i know that's on a glp-1 does it this way. that way you can buy it in bulk for a discount. i buy mine roughly 35 weeks worth of doses at a time.

How do they have confidence that the vials they're getting are sterile / pure / free of endotoxins / etc?

[dead]

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bacteriostatic water is widely available and you hydrate it in the container it comes in. Its pretty easy. I promise you you probably know someone on a glp-1 that is already doing this.

I found it in a mainstream site here. 30ml for $300, with free shipping for next Wednesday. It has classified as a "nutricional supplement" for bodybuilders. I didn't purchase it, but I guess now I'm in yet another list.

There are places to get it WAY cheaper than that. I started off buying single vials for big money until I found group buys. Once my wife started using them too it was going to be too damn expensive to buy single vials. You can get kits (packs of 10 vials) for a lot less money. Been doing this 2 years now!

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That doesn't figure into the pricing strategy or giving away patent protection in Canada in 2018 as far as I can tell? Compounding isn't allowed in Canada, currently, so I assume you are talking about the US? Compounding Ozempic in the US wasn't a thing in 2018 when this patent was released in Canada, so not sure what one has to do with the other. What are you getting at in reference to the argument that the patent w…

Compounding isn't some shady enterprise. Its a standard medical use case. I have to use metronidozol cream on my face, but I'm allergic to some preservatives, so a compounding pharmacy makes a version of metronidozol cream without my allergens. It's also relatively common for toddlers who need special doses, or for people who can't swallow pills and need liquid formulations. Compounding is normal.

My comment was in reference to compounding for straight Ozempic prescriptions, which is currently not allowed in Canada since it is not in shortage.

I was making no judgement on compounding generally.

Re: Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake

#240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I found it in a mainstream site here. 30ml for $300, with free shipping for next Wednesday. It has classified as a "nutricional supplement" for bodybuilders. I didn't purchase it, but I guess now I'm in yet another list.

There are places to get it WAY cheaper than that. I started off buying single vials for big money until I found group buys. Once my wife started using them too it was going to be too damn expensive to buy single vials. You can get kits (packs of 10 vials) for a lot less money. Been doing this 2 years now!

I guess so, but I was just curious and I made a quick search.
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