$1,000-a-day drug to treat prison inmates in Illinois

[Jazzy]

Illinois prison inmates will now be able to get a new and effective -- but incredibly costly -- drug for hepatitis C.

The Herald-Review reported on Friday that the state Department of Corrections has approved the use of Sovaldi for hepatitis C. The medication has a cure rate of 95 percent.

The drug costs at least $1,000 per day.

Corrections officials estimate that as many as 3,750 prisoners in the state have hepatitis C, a life-threatening blood-borne infection that's linked to tainted needles. Chronic hepatitis C, often called a "silent disease," causes cirrhosis and often requires a liver transplant. Illinois routinely screens inmates for hepatitis C when they are admitted to prison, unless they refuse.

The local newspaper reports Sovaldi will cost state taxpayers $61 million if only one third of prisoners with hepatitis C receive the drug, compared with current treatment costs of $8 million.

Full article

Your thoughts on this?

 

[Evil Eye]

Would you rather have them die?

 

[DrLeftover]

But the same drug is DENIED for patients who have medicaid, based on cost.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-05/hepatitis-c-drug-price-limiting-state-medicaid-approvals.html

 

[Evil Eye]

Now that's new worthy.

 

[DrLeftover]

Now that's new worthy.

I think preparing the general public, NOT the Federal Officials who voted for the plan but saw fit to exclude themselves from it (including Mr. Obama and family), for the health care service denials and rationing that is to come is worthy of being covered by the media.