www.worldjournal.com/3883062/article-常用藥飆漲–最高逾2倍/

路透分析數據發現，美國大藥廠對近五年常用藥的藥價大幅調漲，有的藥價甚至調漲為兩倍以上。

路透指出，美國十大常用藥有四種藥，自2011年以來，藥價調幅超過100%，另六種藥價格則調漲50%以上。這些治療關節炎、高膽固醇、氣喘等最普遍疾病的藥價上漲，使消費者、雇主和政府醫療計畫的成本增加數十億元。

圖靈製藥公司和威朗國際製藥公司將藥價調高得離譜後，引起外界注意到藥價問題。大藥廠不時調漲藥價可能不致受到相同關切，但歷次調漲相加起來，調幅卻很可觀。據IMS Health的數據顯示，美國十大常用藥的銷售額，自2011年至2014年增加44%，達到5400萬元，即使這些藥的處方減少22%。

路透發現，這些藥價漲幅最大的是艾伯維藥廠（AbbVie），該藥廠生產的關節炎藥Humira價格上漲超過126%。其次是安進（Amgen）和泰沃（Teva）製藥公司，前者的關節炎藥Enbrel和後者的多發性硬化症Copaxone，均上漲118%。

這些常用藥價格的上漲，說明了聯邦數據何以顯示，近五年來，藥價費用增加的速度超過醫生門診和住院增加的幅度。

相關藥廠辯稱，路透的分析未將藥廠提供的折扣和退款計入；不過， 醫藥福利經理人員表示，即使將折扣納入計算，他們支付常用藥的費用每年增加高達10%；聯邦消費物價指數則顯示，過去五年，這些藥價每年平均上2%。

史隆凱特林癌症研究中心腫瘤學家巴哈表示，藥價若能反映其真正價值，病患更能蒙受其惠，他說：「美國藥廠對藥價掌握了全權。」他估計， 去年僅僅安進的Enbrel藥價調漲，就使醫療成本增加10億元。安進發言人戴維斯在聲明中質疑巴哈的估計，指稱不可能根據藥品標價調漲來推論藥廠獲利的成長。

評論：

目前西醫廠賣出的治療關節炎、高膽固醇、氣喘等等藥物，根本沒用辦法解決問題，充其量只是在壓制現象，讓病人感覺好一些，卻帶來很多副作用。譬如關節炎藥Humira，我們不需要看FDA檔案中詳細的內容，只需要查一下一般醫學網站，就可以有個基本的概念，如www.drugs.com/sfx/humira-side-effects.html就直接寫著：”The most serious adverse reactions have been serious infections, neurologic events, and malignancies.”（最嚴重的副作用包括嚴重感染、神經系統問題、惡性腫瘤），寫給醫療人員的副作用資料一長串，留給讀者自己去查看，下面是寫給一般人(consumers)看的，服用Humira後可能有的問題：

  • Abdominal or stomach fullness
  • body aches or pain
  • cough or hoarseness
  • ear congestion
  • gas with abdominal or stomach pain
  • lightheadedness
  • loss of voice
  • lower back or side pain
  • muscle aches and pains
  • nasal congestion
  • pain or tenderness around the eyes or cheekbones
  • rapid and sometimes shallow breathing
  • shivering
  • sunken eyes
  • thirst
  • trouble sleeping
  • warmth on the skin
  • wrinkled skin
  • A sore on the skin of the breast that does not heal
  • abdominal or stomach pain
  • abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge
  • agitation
  • arm, back, or jaw pain
  • black, tarry stools
  • bleeding from the gums or nose
  • blindness
  • bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
  • blood in the stool or change in bowel habits
  • bloody or cloudy urine
  • blurred vision
  • broken bones
  • change in size, shape, or color of an existing mole
  • change in skin color
  • chest pain
  • chest tightness or heaviness
  • chills
  • clear or bloody discharge from the nipple
  • cold hands and feet
  • confusion
  • constipation
  • cough
  • coughing or spitting up blood
  • decreased urination
  • decreased vision
  • depression
  • difficult or frequent urination
  • difficulty with breathing
  • difficulty, burning, or painful urination
  • dimpling of the breast skin
  • dizziness
  • drowsiness
  • eye pain
  • fainting
  • fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
  • fever
  • forgetfulness
  • frequent urge to urinate
  • general feeling of illness
  • hair loss
  • hallucinations
  • headache
  • increased thirst
  • inverted nipple
  • irregular breathing
  • irregular pulse
  • irritability
  • itching or rash
  • light colored stools
  • loss of appetite
  • lump in the breast or under your arm
  • lump or swelling in the abdomen or stomach
  • mole that leaks fluid or bleeds
  • muscle cramps or spasms
  • nausea
  • new mole
  • night sweats
  • no blood pressure or pulse
  • noisy breathing
  • numbness or tingling in your arms, legs, or face
  • pain, redness, or swelling in the arms or legs without any injury present
  • pale skin
  • persistent non-healing sore on your skin
  • pink growth
  • puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  • raised, firm, or bright red patch
  • redness or swelling of the breast
  • seizures
  • sharp back pain just below your ribs
  • shiny bump on your skin
  • slurred speech or problems with swallowing
  • sneezing
  • sore throat
  • sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or mouth
  • spitting up blood
  • stiff neck
  • stopping of the heart
  • sudden high fever or low grade fever for months
  • sweating
  • swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
  • swollen glands
  • swollen neck veins
  • tightness in the chest
  • tiredness
  • trouble breathing with activity
  • trouble thinking
  • unconsciousness
  • unexplained bruising or bleeding
  • unpleasant breath odor
  • unusual tiredness or weakness
  • unusual weight gain or loss
  • visual disturbances
  • vomiting
  • vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
  • yellow skin or eyes
  • Bladder pain
  • bleeding
  • burning
  • coldness
  • discoloration of the skin
  • feeling of pressure
  • general feeling of discomfort or illness
  • hives
  • lumps
  • numbness
  • pounding in the ears
  • redness
  • scarring
  • soreness
  • stinging
  • swelling
  • tenderness
  • tingling
  • ulceration
  • warmth
  • Abnormal healing
  • decrease in height
  • difficulty with moving
  • difficulty with swallowing
  • difficulty with walking
  • dry mouth
  • heartburn
  • indigestion
  • loss of hearing
  • loss of strength or energy
  • menstrual changes
  • muscle or joint stiffness, tightness, or rigidity
  • muscle pain or weakness
  • pain in the back, ribs, arms, or legs
  • shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, and feet
  • sores
  • stomach pain, fullness, or discomfort
  • swelling or redness in the joints
  • weakness

不知道讀者花多久時間看完上面一堆的症狀？如果病人知道為了暫時壓抑關節炎的疼痛而有可能得惡性腫瘤，或者有上面七八個現象出現，那會有多少病人願意服用Humira？

然而，對於關節炎、高膽固醇、氣喘等，中醫都有不錯的臨床效果，不用一輩子服用藥物，相對的費用也低很多，那為什麼大家還要花很多錢去買一個無法根本解決問題又有很大副作用的西藥呢？就算西醫廠勢力龐大、廣告經費十足、把持西醫醫療系統，難道消費者不能自我覺醒嗎？非要把自己的健康及辛苦賺來的錢，雙手捧上給西藥廠背後貪婪的財團嗎？