Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered • Hacker News Board

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#71

Post by iamnotacrook » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 8:50 AM UTC

malandrew wrote: post #39

dillondoyle wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can confirm in the US it is truly that expensive (which is fucking crazy). I have pretty good insurance (or at least the best I can get self-buying) but I still have to pay 30% of meds costs. That is something like $400 /month. Luckily Gilled will reimburse up to 7500 /year. Fucked up private insurance in US, they charge that much and then do the reimbursement so they can bill the huge monthly cost to plans / gover…

In the US, we’re paying obscene prices because no other country pays their fair share to recoup the cost of development plus bringing the drug to market plus a reasonable margin for the effort. The US should establish an agreement whereby US patients pay a LOT less but that the foreign patients need to pay the same. The amount the industry earns should be low enough to make it reasonably financially accessible to pat…

It's hard to imagine nowadays for many people, but ignorant, uninformed opinions like the one you just typed were quite rare before the internet; now they're commonplace. You're not supposed to make up stuff to defend your country, nor to parrot some crap someone else said without thinking about it. You're supposed to think about stuff and make at least a little effort to determine whether something is true, or whether someone is putting you on. It would have taken you moments to discovered the answer in this case.

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#72

Post by drchewbacca » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 8:51 AM UTC

Won't all drugs targeted at microbes fail eventually? Surely they create a strong selective pressure which favours the resistant strains.

The wider and more frequently the drug is used the faster this process occurs?

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#73

Post by tapland » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 8:52 AM UTC

ChrisRR wrote: post #65

mm202018 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s insane that it is $1400/month out of pocket, and if you have a high deductible plan you’d still be paying $6k+ potentially before it’s covered.

That's insane. In the UK the NHS doesn't supply it yet, and GPs won't officially recommend it. But you'll find the NHS clinics quite often recommending prep purchase through international websites and referring you to HIV charities. It costs about £30 pm in that case which is about $40 Often they'll be running studies at the same time to assess the feasibility of Prep on the NHS.

Sweden just added it like 2 weeks ago. More to come hopefully.

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#74

Post by dtornabene » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 8:57 AM UTC

tim58 wrote: post #15

#What -- In several geographically distant third world countries HIV is becoming antiretroviral resistant in ~10% of cases. #Why -- No one is _really_ sure. The most popular hypothesis is that it happens when people go on and off the medicine. Why would people do this? Shame, access, and some mothers that went on only during pregnancy. WHO recommended a pregnancy only treatment until ~2015. #Impact -- These resistant…

What purpose does the phrase "geographically distant" serve here? Seriously, why include that? Because, for one thing, while this site was started by an american, in america, its absolutely read all over the world, and two, HIV rates are highest in these "geographically distant third world countries". This is a really strange thing to post.

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#75

Post by rdl » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 9:03 AM UTC

t34543 wrote: post #11

I had a scare and took PeP this year. I had to ER shop. First one denied me coverage and made assumptions. I ended up getting care at a cost of ~$6000 to my insurance. I paid $270. I have great healthcare but this is obscene. I don’t want to get sick and die. I was being careful but accidents happen.

Are you sure it actually cost your insurance $6k? Usually they have a high rack rate and negotiate down.

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#76

Post by roel_v » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 9:12 AM UTC

tuxxy wrote: post #3

This is why PrEP is so important and everyone at risk should be on it. We need to spread PrEP use as far and wide as possible.

I know nothing about this topic and I'll admit that I even had to google what 'PrEP' is, and I have a vague feeling I'm stepping into a minefield asking this question, but who is "everyone at risk" in this context?

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#77

Post by lm28469 » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 9:14 AM UTC

jimbob45 wrote: post #2

Well, PrEP is a miracle drug that has gone criminally underutilized in the fight to eradicate HIV. It would be nice to see governments really push it hard for a change.

Miracle drug with unknown long term side effects*

I wouldn't take it unless I was a non monogamous gay man[0], the risks out-weights the benefits in any other demographics imho.

[0] not that I have anything against that per say, it's just statistically the most affected demographic

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#78

Post by homero » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 9:20 AM UTC

sjaknanxnnx wrote: post #12

mm202018 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who is “they”? There’s a copay card you can use from Gilead that helps pay your co-pay but not aware if that helps you hit out of pocket expenses before you hit your deductible or if that counts as your copay.

The way it was explained to me is: you use the Gilead card to pay you copay, and that counts toward your deductible. So, my last post was wrong to use the word “reimburse”.

I use a different medication where i pay the copay on a credit card and they rebate me a check

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#79

Post by roel_v » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 9:20 AM UTC

dtornabene wrote: post #74

tim58 wrote: post #15

#What -- In several geographically distant third world countries HIV is becoming antiretroviral resistant in ~10% of cases. #Why -- No one is _really_ sure. The most popular hypothesis is that it happens when people go on and off the medicine. Why would people do this? Shame, access, and some mothers that went on only during pregnancy. WHO recommended a pregnancy only treatment until ~2015. #Impact -- These resistant…

What purpose does the phrase "geographically distant" serve here? Seriously, why include that? Because, for one thing, while this site was started by an american, in america, its absolutely read all over the world, and two, HIV rates are highest in these "geographically distant third world countries". This is a really strange thing to post.

It meant (to me) that there are several 'pockets' of this happening simultaneously, it's not some local 'strain' or 'outbreak'. I thought it was a crucial thing to add, for nuance. Not sure why you're so agitated over this.

Re: Alarming surge in drug-resistant HIV uncovered

#80

Post by gnopgnip » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 9:21 AM UTC

vinni2 wrote: post #55

galangalalgol wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah, shocking. if you have diabetes or a thyroid issue or hiv or really any chronic disease that requires medication you are out 12k a year easy, 6 for your insurance premiums and 6 for the deductible and copays. if you are broke there are some provisions, but if you are above the poverty line you gotta pay.

Is this true for health insurances paid by the employers too? I am just curious since people say if you have a tech job you have nothing to worry about healthcare in the US.

In many cases the premium is paid for by your employer entirely, and the max out of pocket is lower, like $4k a year. But it depends on the employer and what plans afte offered.

Also about 20% of Americans are on medicaid, and generally do not pay any premiums, deductibles, or copays