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Asacol/Asacol HD Patent

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/5/2014 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Since Obamacare started my insurance now only covers my Asacol HD at 50%...I can't afford to spend $250/month for this drug. This article kind of makes me angry, knowing that unless some manufacturer takes Warner-Chilcott to court, a generic version won't be around until after Nov 2021.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/blogs/blog-brave-new-world/article5250800.ece

 

Posted 3/5/2014 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
This is beyond shameful.
Posted 3/5/2014 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
crap this is shameful.

Let us say daily dosage is 1600 mg of Asacol. Is it ok to give ASACOL HD 2 tablets instead of 4 Dezicol (asacol replacement) tablets?

Post Edited (kamakya) : 3/5/2014 2:00:31 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/5/2014 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
"Ever-greening" !!! Great term there...I was in this same boat, switched to Delzicol, went into worst flare of my life in over 10 years. I do not believe a generic will come out in 2021, b/c then they will pull the same BS move and "reformulate" the drug AGAIN so it has a new patent and so on and so on. Makes me very angry that patients suffered when switched to meds all b/c of freaking Big Pharma greed.
thank you for posting this!
Posted 3/5/2014 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
I have a theory, and I have nothing to back it up with, this is just speculation. This may be because your insurance company (and mine) is retaliating against Warner Chilcott for their shameful circumvention of the Asacol patent expiration.

My insurer stopped covering Asacol HD entirely. I've switched to Lialda which is doing great for me now.
Posted 3/5/2014 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
Is two Asacol tablets equal to one Asacol HD tablet?
Posted 3/5/2014 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know why but from what I understand two 400's are not the same as one 800.
Posted 3/5/2014 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Gary is right, not exactly the same because the HD was a time-release version. But it would be the same grams of mesalamine.

Insurance companies do things. Generally to maximize profit, and patient care is only a distant goal. I am skeptical that any change in the formulary is directly due to Obamacare. That sounds like misinformation to me.
Posted 3/6/2014 3:28 AM (GMT 0)
I've experienced sticker shock on this medication myself, I had to pay $566 for it in Jan and then $855 in February. Luckily my insurance I have met my annual deductible so the cost will decrease to about $50 a month the rest of the year, but it is a lot of money to pay up front each year!
Posted 3/6/2014 3:40 PM (GMT 0)

DBwithUC said...
Gary is right, not exactly the same because the HD was a time-release version. But it would be the same grams of mesalamine.

Insurance companies do things. Generally to maximize profit, and patient care is only a distant goal. I am skeptical that any change in the formulary is directly due to Obamacare. That sounds like misinformation to me.

There are too many coincidences that ALL insurance companies raised their premiums way above the normal yearly increase and decreased coverage the year Obamacare went into effect. This is a whole different story though.

I also agree with what Gary said, the change is in the capsule, allowing the pill to dispense the mesalamine at a particular part of your colon.

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