Sometimes Less Is More

Photo Source: commons.wikimedia.org

By Jeffrey Moualim

Today many pharmaceutical companies have or are getting into the business of manufacturing Factor product. While competition in the marketplace can be be good for pricing there is concern over how much is too much. With the apparent rise in inhibitors for recombinant especially among previously untreated youngsters with Hemophilia there is concern that this could exacerbate an already existing problem.

Factor choice is one the most important decisions in young people's treatment of Hemophilia. Transparency by pharmaceutical companies is even more crucial in having informed consent to make good decisions. Depending on one's insurance coverage some factor products maybe out of reach financially this is an additional hurdle to assuring best treatment outcomes. Still depending on availability the overriding issue is for each family to be able to access the product that is effective for the particular individual without causing an inhibitor reaction.

The American medical and pharmaceutical industries operate in a business model of medicine for profit. With prophylactic being more of the rule than the exception in the last 15 years.
It thus behooves all of us to remain proactive in the quality and safety of care our young men and women receive.

The Hemophilia community has already experienced the dangers of taking more and more factor that is does not have proper oversight on the growing number of manufacturer's who see factor product as an increasing revenue stream for their bottom line. We don't want their gain to be our loss.