1900% Drug Price Increase

[jesse_the_k]

I’ve been hypothyroid for a long time, and happily, simple hypothyroidism is treatable. I’ve been taking thyroid meds–levothyroxine (T4) and lyothyronine (T3) .

Up until yesterday, hypothyroidism has been inexpensive to treat. Lyothyronine was synthesized in the 1950s, and was first approved by the US Food & Drug Administration in 1954.

Thursday I saw my endocrinologist and she suggested changing my T3 dosage. But my pharmacy had bad news: they didn’t have access to any generic lyothyronine. My insurance won’t pay for a proprietary (brand-name) drug unless the physician explicitly requests that in the prescription. So, I ask the endo to write another script. Then MyGuy went to pick it up and

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STICKER SHOCK

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Generic lyothyronine: $34.24
Cytomel (lyothyronine from Pfizer): $654.40.

Yes, that’s a twenty-fold increase. I haven’t been able to find out why: it could be because the drug was manufactured in Puerto Rico; it could be because [horrible news thing I don’t know details of] changed the tax incentives for generic drug producers; it could be the phase of the moon.

Two pieces of good news: I can afford to pay for it, and I can finally spell lyothyronine.