"The cost is justified to avoid the mental and physical disabilities that can come with very premature births, said KV Pharmaceutical chief executive Gregory J. Divis Jr. The cost of care for a preemie is estimated at $51,000 in the first year alone.

"Makena can help offset some of those costs," Divis told The Associated Press. "These moms deserve the opportunity to have the benefits of an FDA-approved Makena.""

Just another way big pharmaceutical companies are jerking the public around and screwing us over. It is all about profit, make no mistake. To h*## with women who need this or will deliver early, lets make a HUGE profit. Even thought it only costs us a few dollars to make, it is supply and demand: we have the supply, and can demand whatever we want. These companies should be taken to court when a woman can't pay the exorbitant price for the drug and has a preemie that costs hundreds of thousands. The company should have to pay all of the hospital and related costs. I hate pharmaceutical companies that play God with the lives of the poor and those who have no alternative. This should be illegal. Make a reasonable profit, but don't do this.

All drugs & patents that are paid for by tax dollars should be given back to the taxpayers. For medications the price should be set at a maximum of production costs + 20%. For patents, the cost to license them should simply cover the costs of filing the paperwork.

Currently schools and corporations take millions in taxpayer dollars and then they get to take the profit from the inventions. The taxpayer paid for it so it should belong to the taxpayer. For drug corporations we are subsidizing their research and their profits. I think we should stop doing that.

The cost is justified? This is just a flagrant excuse to sell something and make $$.

So you Tea People want less government intervention?

How about in this case?

This is outright highway robbery!

No, this is what happens when the government sticks it's nose, the FDA, into a system that was working fine. They screw it up!!

Some people want to blame the government for everything. All they did was respond to requests for insuring quality. This is pure and simple what happens with Private Industry unchecked. It is pure profiteering and should be illegal. The problem is the government is not stepping in enough. They need to put a stop to this. Yank the permit and award to someone with price guarantees.

Consistently, it has been gross profiteering like this that has helped to drive up the cost of Health Care.

Given that the article notes that the drug "been made cheaply for years, mixed in special pharmacies that custom-compound treatments that are not federally approved" and further that "most of the cost for development and research was shouldered by others in the past" I don't understand how a patent could be awarded? It sounds as if the formula has been in the public domain for some time and that alone should disqualify it for a patent. I hope some sharp lawer jumps all over this one.

 the cry of let the market work seems to ring quite hollow.   The FDA should immediately change their ruling and allow others to compound this.  Simple as that.  Suggest all who are mad at this company look and see if you can find alternatives to doing any business with them.  best way to show your anger is to take away every cent you can from the greedy pigs.  We have become a country of wimps.  We let third rate dictators push us around, we let rich pricks rob us and we thank them for it. 

Stand up or lay down, its your country and your choice!

ali gator   chomp   chomp   chomp

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