Great: U.S. drug company sues Canada for trying to lower cost of $700K-a-year drug

A U.S. drug company is taking the Canadian government to court for its attempt to lower the price of what has been called the world's most expensive drug.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals has filed a motion in Federal Court, arguing that Canada's drug price watchdog has no authority to force the company to lower its price for Soliris.

'This is the single greatest threat to pricing of drugs in Canada ever.' - Amir Attaran, health law expert

The company says in the court documents that the price of Soliris has not changed since it went on the market about six years ago and that the price difference between the two countries reflects the difference in exchange rates between the U.S. and Canada.

The medication is approved to treat two rare blood diseases that affect about one in every one million people. A 12-month treatment costs about $700,000 in Canada, while in the U.S. it costs about $669,000.

Both diseases — paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome (AHUS) — prompt the immune system to kill red blood cells, causing anemia, blood clots, organ failure and, eventually, death.

While Soliris is not a cure, it can stop the assault on the body's tissues and organs. Since patients typically need to take the medication indefinitely, it can cost tens of millions of dollars over a lifetime.

Due to the high cost, some patients in Canada can't get the drug. Only some provinces will cover the cost of treatment and there are different criteria to qualify for coverage in various jurisdictions.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/u-s-drug-company-sues-canada-for-trying-to-lower-cost-of-700k-a-year-drug-1.3242172

Great: U.S. drug company sues Canada for trying to lower cost of $700K-a-year drug

Great: U.S. drug company sues Canada for trying to lower cost of $700K-a-year drug

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