The bottom line here is this. Colchicine's been on the market forever, since before the FDA. Because of that, it was grandfathered and never went through the current "safe and effective" New Drug Approval process. Well, somebody decided to do that and can now claim "the only FDA-approved colchicine". Colcrys *is* colchicine, nothing less, and most importantly, nothing more. Not a fancy new formulation or a long-acting tablet, none of that. But the fact that it exists immediately changes all the "generic colchicine" into "unapproved colchicine".
So what, you ask?
Thirty colchicine will set you back less than $25 in my pharmacy. Thirty Colcrys tablets will cost you about $220. Yeah, that's right. Because it costs us almost 10 times more. And all those generics are no longer manufactured, and as of 12/30/10 can not be marketed or dispensed. Do you really think this has a bloody thing to do with safety or quality? No. This is a blatant example of gaming the regulatory system, and the patient, as usual, is the pigeon.
Have fun, gout sufferers. Your government has your back.
no subject
http://www.colcrys.com/patients-home.htm
The bottom line here is this. Colchicine's been on the market forever, since before the FDA. Because of that, it was grandfathered and never went through the current "safe and effective" New Drug Approval process. Well, somebody decided to do that and can now claim "the only FDA-approved colchicine". Colcrys *is* colchicine, nothing less, and most importantly, nothing more. Not a fancy new formulation or a long-acting tablet, none of that. But the fact that it exists immediately changes all the "generic colchicine" into "unapproved colchicine".
So what, you ask?
Thirty colchicine will set you back less than $25 in my pharmacy. Thirty Colcrys tablets will cost you about $220. Yeah, that's right. Because it costs us almost 10 times more. And all those generics are no longer manufactured, and as of 12/30/10 can not be marketed or dispensed. Do you really think this has a bloody thing to do with safety or quality? No. This is a blatant example of gaming the regulatory system, and the patient, as usual, is the pigeon.
Have fun, gout sufferers. Your government has your back.