Pain Killer-There's Nothing Stronger

[securespark]

I normally use Nurofen for any headaches as they seem to work for me. However, I have always questioned their ads which offer different tablets for different pain.

Absolutely. In Australia, the authorities have rapped their knuckles because they market the same product for different types of pain.

Generics are drugs for which the patent has lapsed.

Fork!

Generics are drugs for which the patient has lapsed.

 

[JohnD]

I believe quite sincerely that the research is targeted on whatever will bring the best profits.

For example, I have a migraine drug that costs £72 for two doses (and almost exactly the same price in Switzerland and the USA). Prosperous westerners are very willing to pay that to deal with the pain, and may be lifelong customers. It has been on the market for at least 20 years so the developments costs are long paid for.

What could poverty-stricken victims afford to pay for malaria treatment, or River Blindness? Pence? There may be many millions of them, but where are the cures?

You will be aware that there was no cure for Ebola until a handful of Westerners died of it, and all the others panicked.

 

[securespark]

I wouldn't be getting any drugs from Switzerland....

 

[JohnD]

It's nominally a UK company. This drug is actually made in their Irish factory.

 

[securespark]

I have been on painkillers for years.

I take 1 g paracetamol, 30mg codeine and 400mg ibuprofen several times a day.

It's a great combination.

The ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory. The thing about paracetamol is that you need to take it regularly otherwise it is pretty useless. You take your first dose then if you don't take another in a few hours, the pain-relieving effects drop off. If you take them regularly, you get a sustained dose and continuous relief. Otherwise you are on a rollercoaster.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I believe quite sincerely that the research is targeted on whatever will bring the best profits.

For example, I have a migraine drug that costs £72 for two doses (and almost exactly the same price in Switzerland and the USA). Prosperous westerners are very willing to pay that to deal with the pain, and may be lifelong customers. It has been on the market for at least 20 years so the developments costs are long paid for.

What could poverty-stricken victims afford to pay for malaria treatment, or River Blindness? Pence? There may be many millions of them, but where are the cures?

You will be aware that there was no cure for Ebola until a handful of Westerners died of it, and all the others panicked.

Absolutely, I'm sure the above is all true. But, if you could discover new drugs, not bribe people, not spend a fortune on advertising, and turn a worthwhile profit, would not competitors sneak in? And you do know that most prospective drugs turn out to be worthless? So what funds those costs?

Britain is a world leader in medical research, incidentally.

You know of course that much published medical research was suspect, they used to only publish 'helpful' results, now they must do full disclosure.

I guess there might be an argument for governments tackling selected diseases such as ebola.

 

[JohnD]

First Sick Liberian: I hear another Westerner has died of Ebola

Second Sick Liberian: That's good, there'll be a cure soon.

 

[JBR]

I normally use Nurofen for any headaches as they seem to work for me. However, I have always questioned their ads which offer different tablets for different pain.

Squeaky, Nurofen 200mg costs £2.00 at Boots for 16 tablets. Ibuprofen 200mg is 35p. At Tesco they're 30p. Both exactly the same.

I can get aspirins for 25p for 16!

 

[JBR]

I'm sure one of these painkillers has as a side effect headaches.

Codeine certainly does. It is found in solpadeine and many other "extra-strong" painkillers.

It is an opioid and you quickly get habituated (or dependent). When the previous dose wears off, you get withdrawal effects, including rebound headache.

I found that strong codeine (on prescription) made me vomit.

 

[securespark]

I feel thoroughly sick most days.

But I do take upwards of 45 meds every day, including coideine.

 

[jeds]

I don't have an argument with drug companies recouping development costs through inflated prices for new drugs. What I object to is large pharma companies taking generic drugs that are available to all in basic form and dressing them in misleading packaging and charging three, four, five times as much. But as we can see here, some people are happy to pay the extra and seem convinced they get something extra for it. As long as that continues then the drug companies will just keep on doing it.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

View attachment 90038
First Sick Liberian: I hear another Westerner has died of Ebola
Second Sick Liberian: That's good, there'll be a cure soon.

So what do you suggest? That they invest large amounts of private capital developing a drug in the knowledge that the target consumers are too poor to pay for it, and hence they will go bust? Have you ever run a business? Let me rephrase that, have you ever run a successful business? The problem with your viewpoint (if you're not just having a laff) is that it is based on pie in the sky idealism.

Governments need to sponsor research, in public labs.

 

[jockscott]

So what do you suggest? That they invest large amounts of private capital developing a drug in the knowledge that the target consumers are too poor to pay for it.

How much research does it take to re-brand Nurofen as the best ever painkiller? Do the active ingredients change? Simple answer is no. There will be absolutely no research by Reckitt Benckiser to make Nurofen any different. (there may however, be a complete re-design of the packaging, by their marketing department)

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

So what do you suggest? That they invest large amounts of private capital developing a drug in the knowledge that the target consumers are too poor to pay for it.

How much research does it take to re-brand Nurofen as the best ever painkiller? Do the active ingredients change? Simple answer is no. There will be absolutely no research by Reckitt Benckiser to make Nurofen any different. (there may however, be a complete re-design of the packaging, by their marketing department)

What relevance does that remark have to my post?

 

[EFLImpudence]

WWT - we are not talking about a drug, say to cure AIDS, which has taken thirty years to develop in the hope of making huge profits. We are talking about charging umpteen times the cost of, for example, aspirin by calling it by another name.

If you think this right and necessary to fund the R&D into new drugs then this R&D is being funded by the gullible.


Is it not a principle of business to invest either previous profit or borrowing to develop new products in the hope of future profit?

Actually, it does seem to be being done your way more these days. That is, getting the customer to pay for installation rather than supplying means to offer a product in the hope that the customer will buy it.
If you want a new gas or electricity supply, you have to pay for installation.
Did you have to pay directly for a new shop or filling station or does the company hope for future sales to pay for it and then make a profit?
Did anyone buy you a van and/or equipment so that you could earn money?