Providers and patients are protesting the $1,500 price tag on Makena, a drug that prevents babies from being born too early, according to a Nashua Telegraph report.
Makena, which is manufactured by KV Pharmaceutical of St. Louis, won FDA approval in February. The drug must be injected every week for approximately 20 weeks, putting the total cost at $30,000 per at-risk pregnancy. According to the report, the same compound has been available for years for only $10 or $20 per shot.
KV Pharmaceutical says the price is reasonable because the company is spending $200 million to develop the drug and conduct follow-up studies demanded by the FDA. Critics have responded saying the main study used to demonstrate Makena's effectiveness was a $5 million project funded by taxpayers and provided through the National Institutes of Health.
Makena, which is manufactured by KV Pharmaceutical of St. Louis, won FDA approval in February. The drug must be injected every week for approximately 20 weeks, putting the total cost at $30,000 per at-risk pregnancy. According to the report, the same compound has been available for years for only $10 or $20 per shot.
KV Pharmaceutical says the price is reasonable because the company is spending $200 million to develop the drug and conduct follow-up studies demanded by the FDA. Critics have responded saying the main study used to demonstrate Makena's effectiveness was a $5 million project funded by taxpayers and provided through the National Institutes of Health.
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