Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) has sparked a new round of anger among cystic fibrosis patients in the U.K. by requesting extra time to submit evidence for a new triple-combination therapy to a cost-effectiveness agency, a move that will likely delay availability by several months or more.
In explaining its decision, the drug maker wants time to submit more data, but the delay also allows it to take advantage of a change the U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is making in its process for assessing the value of medicines, which is expected to be finalized in June 2021. The changes are being made after the agency encountered criticism from both the pharmaceutical industry and patient groups over its approach to deciding value.
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Viewing the entirety of the history here, Vertex reaffirms the belief that patients come last after patents, profits, bonuses and carefully crafted press releases.
Not that Vertex is alone in this but it’s easy to understand why Big Pharma spends tens of millions to convince us of their alleged compassion.
Many decent folks work day in and out in pharma for altruistic reasons and hats off to them. Thank you!
Senior management, however, achieves their options grants and bonuses on very different terms – that such may be incompatible with expediting new drugs (to seriously afflicted patients) is the ugly truth.