Daraprim (pyrimethamine) was developed by a Nobel Prize winning American scientist, Gertrude Elion (1918-1999); and treats blood borne parasitic infections, such as malaria and toxoplasmosis. WHO reports Daraprim is one of the safest and most effective medicines that is needed in any health system. In clinical trials, Daraprim has been shown effective in treating HIV (HIV patients susceptible to toxoplasmosis), retinochoroiditis (retinal inflammation), and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease); and may slow the progression of Tay-Sachs disease, a “syndrome” in which nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are destroyed.
In the U.S., Martin Shkreli bought Turing Pharmaceuticals, which owns the patent and controls the distribution of Daraprim. Shkreli, now in jail for fraud, raised the price of Daraprim from $13.50 per pill to $750 per pill, which amounts to $75,000 per month of treatment. In other countries, Daraprim is sold for as low 10₡ per pill, and in Mexico is sold for 50₡ per pill. Turing also blocked generic competition, by preventing potential competitors from gaining access to patented Daraprim, to perform necessary comparison clinical trials required by the FDA before the approval of generics.
Daraprim should NOT be prohibitively expensive, or even expensive at all! It should be widely available at a reasonable price because it is a valuable drug, which could benefit patients with many different chronic diseases. The FDA has announced an intention to loosen regulations; and hopefully patients, doctors, and insurance companies will demand a change in regulations preventing the availability of generic Daraprim.
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