If you don't have immunity, the Covid virus poses a clear and present risk. Get immunity the safe way: Vaccines.
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If you already had COVID and think you are safe, don't take chances. Immunity is more durable and effective with another exposure to the same antigen. Basic immunology 101. Get your second exposure the safe way: Vaccines.
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If are already fully vaccinated, get a booster if it is offered for your age and risk group in your area. It's the safe way to strengthen immunity.
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Whether you had Covid are not, fully vaccinated or not, there are still many vulnerable people around. Wear a mask and follow other recommended preventive measures.
Holiday season and winter are coming up. delta is more infectious.
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Israel suspected that vaccine efficacy may be waning in early July. Made a decision to offer a booster dose for high risk people July 30. And to all adults August 29. Early call.
Data mow support that call. Let's look at boosters.
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Their early decision gave early data on boosters. The first data came within days. 2/
Minnesota now has the highest number of cases per capita in the country. Florida, the lowest. But don't rush to conclusions. Florida paid a price with a high loss of life in its recent wave, the highest since the start of vaccinations. #GetVaccinated
Breakthrough cases are occurring and people who are eligible need to get boosters. But once again, the vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious disease and deaths.
If prescription drug prices are very high and keep rising, if you reduce out of pocket costs for patients, premiums go up; if you reduce premiums, out of pocket costs for patients go up.
That's the truth.
You cannot have a system that relies on the generosity of Pharma to keep prices affordable. They will keep increasing drug prices to meet targets as the law allows them to set the price and prevents Medicare from negotiating.
Lowering out of pocket costs is a band aid.
You cannot give monopoly protection for >10 years and have no way of negotiating either launch prices or price increases. Particularly when the product is life saving.
As I look at these data, and what's going on in Europe, vaccinated younger people after vaccines and most elderly people are very well protected. But some elderly and immunocompromised may not mount a durable immune response after vaccines.
Boosters are therefore important for elderly and immunocompromised people. Early use of monoclonal antibodies are also important and should be used if available.
Medicare Part D covers >3500 prescription drugs. Over 2400 of these are made by only one manufacturer (monopolies).
The prescription drug plan to let Medicare negotiate covers 10 drugs starting 2025. 20 drugs per year after.
Yet Pharma protests. Let's keep things in context.
New drugs are protected for 9 years from time on market from negotiation. Biologics for 12 years. Price increases capped to inflation.
Which means expect Pharma to "front load" prices. That means make the launch price much higher to cover all of this loss of revenue. @DavidP4AD
Out of pocket for seniors capped. Good. Important.
But it also means someone still pays Pharma. That's Medicare. Which is back to us, the public. So it's not like Pharma is losing money that way either.