Jebus H Bomz
climber
Reno, Nuh VAAAA duh
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Jul 10, 2012 - 02:09pm PT
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Don't tread on them.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 10, 2012 - 02:28pm PT
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Wow. A comment on the article states that a shot of antivenin costs between 10 and 15 grand. Anyone here know if this is true?
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labrat
Trad climber
Nevada City, CA
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Jul 10, 2012 - 02:31pm PT
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I believe it's true.
Story a while back on a person with massive hospital bill for treatment....
edit
http://www.10news.com/news/31128723/detail.html
Trydal was admitted to the hospital and given four doses of antivenom over a 24-hour period. He was thrilled that the treatment worked and he could get back to his studies, until he heard from his insurance company.
That was when Trydal learned what his visit to the hospital cost: $143,989. He was shocked.
"I thought maybe $10,000," he said, noting that if he'd had the same treatment back home in Norway "it would have been free."
Trydal agreed to let the hospital release a copy of the bill to 10News. In it there are two separate charges for antivenin croatalidfab. The first charge is for $102,440 and the second is for $25,610. That is a total of $128,050
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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Jul 10, 2012 - 02:41pm PT
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Posted it before of this Placerville monster:
Family day fun skinning snakes near Bridgeport in the early '60's:
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Jul 10, 2012 - 03:02pm PT
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I'm stunned at the cost per injection, but the preparation is difficult at best. It requires that the antivenin protein (antibody) be isolated from a large animal (usually a horse) treated repeatedly with the appropriate venom until an immune response is elicited. The horse is then bled and the antivenin isolated and purified. I'm surprised that no one has done a recombinant DNA synthesis to make a bioengineered version? This isn't an isolated incident any longer, since many Americans are visiting the outdoors. Of course the victim would normally be willing to forgo money as opposed to life...
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jul 10, 2012 - 03:05pm PT
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It is still a little-used 'vaccine' as compared to the millions of doses
prepared for other diseases. We gotta start getting more people bit so
they can produce larger runs of anti-venin to get the price down.
I also suspect that due to the many people that have adverse reactions a
large part of the cost goes for insurance.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Jul 10, 2012 - 03:07pm PT
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My wife is an R.N. who has treated rattlesnake bites when she worked on the neurosurgery and post-ICU floors. Yes, Kris, antivenin is extremely expensive. It has a relatively small market, and for the reasons stated, is not an easy synthesis.
John
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Jul 10, 2012 - 03:19pm PT
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I just did a brief bit of internet research, and found to my dismay, the whole serum IgG, equine based antivenin is NO LONGER AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES! Wyeth Pharmaceuticals announced in 2001 that it was discontinuing production of equine antivenom.
This new bioengineered fragment (FAB) therapy is all that's available--at an exorbitant cost (of COURSE!). This has to do with FDA regulation of the ovine manufacuring process and not effectiveness; the bioengineered drug has less immunotoxic effects as opposed to an equine-based serum.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Jul 10, 2012 - 03:38pm PT
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"This new bioengineered fragment (FAB) therapy is all that's available--at an exorbitant cost (of COURSE!)."
The equine-based serum had a significant history of creating severe reactions in many patients- so much so that it was often not used simply because the risk:benefit was not acceptable.
The ovine-based serum produces far fewer reactions...haven't heard a good, rational explanation for the significant cost increase, though.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Jul 10, 2012 - 03:58pm PT
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At this point, the manufacturer is trying to get back some portion of the development costs. At an average of $150-$200 million per new drug to get it to market, someone has to "pay the piper." As utilization increases, the cost will decrease.
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10b4me
Ice climber
dingy room at the Happy boulders hotel
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Jul 10, 2012 - 04:32pm PT
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closest I've come to a buzzworm was about a month ago. I was mountain biking in the San Gabriels. grinding up a hill, head down, when I saw what I thought was a downed branch. Problem was that the "branch" started moving. It started to coil. fortunately, I was able to get past it before it could strike. It was probably three feet from me, and fortunately it was about two feet long.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Jul 10, 2012 - 07:25pm PT
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I volunteer to be bitten so that the pharmaceutical companies won't have to take a hit on their profit margins..RJ
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Jul 10, 2012 - 07:29pm PT
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In order for a drug to be approved by the FDA, it takes years of expensive clinical trials for certification. Having worked in the industry for 45 years, I've seen the costs of clinical trials go through the roof. Yes, it's mostly bureaucratic BS; pharma companies aren't in business to lose money. They also need to underwrite the costs of drugs that don't "make the cut." The problem too, is the litigenous nature of our society, and the need to cover the a$$es of the shareholders. I'm not saying the cost of a single injection should be $100K, though. Or even $10K, for that matter.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Jul 10, 2012 - 07:35pm PT
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Sounds like it might be better to just catch a few yourself milk em and get your own personal immunity going.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Jul 10, 2012 - 07:45pm PT
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Brokendown...I guess that's the reality of the situation..? Seems out of whack with the system being too top-heavy for the haves and too little for the have nots.....Maybe i'll go milk a one-eyed striker...?
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Jul 10, 2012 - 07:52pm PT
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I don't think anyone would be turned down on a financial basis; most hospitals are a treat first and then worry about payment.
Speaking of the buzzworms, just had my neighbor report that he saw one on my ranch not a half hour ago while he was moving some cows that got into my hay meadows. Prairie Rattlesnake.
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Speigl
climber
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Jul 11, 2012 - 01:51pm PT
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I didn't see it, but I heard a rattlesnake about 10 feet from the Baldy Bowl trail in SoCal on July 3rd. It was at night and cool, so I was really surprised, but the buzz was unmistakable. After hearing the snake, I was intently focused on the trail ahead as I continued on, and saw 4 scorpions. I thought, "Where am I, Arizona"?
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fattrad
Mountain climber
GOP Convention
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 11, 2012 - 01:59pm PT
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Jon,
From your article:
But when a therapeutic is developed for a small number of people -- so-called orphan drugs for scorpion stings, rare genetic disorders or some cancers -- drug costs can skyrocket. Drug companies market orphan drugs to a limited population, but they still must pay research, development and regulatory costs
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2011/11/10/20111110scorpion-drug-cost.html#ixzz20LlCrDwE
Mexico has subsidized medicine, why it costs less there.
TheTool
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