No -- this is not a confessional piece! It’s about
drugs, or more precisely their prices.
It’s advisable when traveling, even in countries far more
developed than Madagascar, to be supplied with a powerful antibiotic against
“traveler’s tummy”. The “in” drug at the
moment is azithromycin, which appears to have displaced the previous “in” drug,
ciproflaxin.
Glenview Travel Clinic had helpfully provided prescriptions for
three days’ doses of azithromycin, which we duly took to a convenient branch of
CVS (one of the major US pharmacy chains).
CVS warned us that the drug could be pricey – up to $180 for each of us,
depending on the policies of our health insurer. We were therefore delighted that, under our
health insurance plan, we were able to fill each prescription for a “mere” $20.
With over a week remaining of our time in Madagascar, Sue
and I had had occasion to use half our joint supplies of azithromycin. With the rest of our stay and long
international homeward flights ahead, we wondered if it might it possible to
obtain fresh supplies. It seemed unlikely
in small-town southern Madagascar, but Rev Patsy offered to call in at a
pharmacy in Amboasary to give it a try.
Not only did the pharmacy stock it, but three days’ doses cost us 7,500
Ariary – a tad under $2.50. All neatly blister-packed
and labeled, with the notes from the manufacturer in Chennai, India, to confirm
that each tablet contained the 500mg daily dose specified in our US
prescriptions.
What is one to make of the huge price difference? I don’t know.
The US healthcare industry would have us believe that drugs in the US
should cost more on account of tighter manufacturing standards, and to reward
research and development. But $2.50 vs.
$20 or even $180 ?
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