“AFP PHOTO /Merck & Co,Inc./HANDOUT”

 

Thailand’s Medical Services Department signed a 500-million baht deal with MSD (Thailand) today (Thursday) to buy 50,000 courses of Merck’s Molnupiravir (Lagevrio) oral anti-viral medication for the treatment of COVID-19 infections.

 

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who witnessed the signing at the Ministry of Public Health, said that treatment of people infected with COVID-19 requires effective medication and, to date, Thailand used Favipiravir and the herbal medicine, Fah Talai Jone.

 

Molnupiravir, which is manufactured by US giant pharmaceutical company Merck, has proved efficacious during clinical human trials, adding that the oral version will be administered to patients with moderate and severe symptoms, as well as to people at high risk.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-signs-฿500m-deal-to-buy-50000-courses-of-molnupiravir-covid-19-medication/

 

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7 hours ago, webfact said:

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who witnessed the signing at the Ministry of Public Health, said that treatment of people infected with COVID-19 requires effective medication and

should continue to fill his bank accounts to make up for the public turning their backs on his other nice little earner - Chinese vaccines.

10,000 Baht for each course sounds expensive to me.

Sounds like a chronic waste of tax payers money when they could just get the army to grow more herbs.

500 million baht for 50,000 courses, which is 10,000 baht for each course of 40 capsules, i.e. 250 baht a capsule, and 2,000 baht a day for a five day treatment.

In the always unbearable bright light of hindsight I should have bought stocks in Merck...

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

500 million baht for 50,000 courses, which is 10,000 baht for each course of 40 capsules, i.e. 250 baht a capsule, and 2,000 baht a day for a five day treatment.

In the always unbearable bright light of hindsight I should have bought stocks in Merck...

$700 in the US for a course.

2 hours ago, loong said:

10,000 Baht for each course sounds expensive to me.

It's less than half the price that it costs in the US. 

 

On the other hand, some low income countries are getting it for as little as $12 per patient.

 

How Merck is pricing molnupiravir

4 hours ago, loong said:

10,000 Baht for each course sounds expensive to me.

It seems to be less than half the price originally announced in the US ($700).

Big Pharma = Big Bucks.....and business is Booming $$$$$

 

I ordered Covi-kits (5-day course) from India for $5usd ????

4 hours ago, ArcticFox said:

$700 in the US for a course.

Perhaps, 

But guess a factory worker in the USA, on minimum wage, does take home more than ~7500thb too! 

(24 days * 310thb?)

Not as good as predicted........................

 

NEW: Merck COVID pill is only 30% effective against hospitalization/death in final analysis. Original analysis (aka results by press release) said 50%. Also lolz to releasing unfavorable results at 6:45 am the day after Thanksgiving…

 

https://twitter.com/MoNscience/status/1464213092196241415

https://www.merck.com/news/merck-and-ridgeback-biotherapeutics-provide-update-on-results-from-move-out-study-of-molnupiravir-an-investigational-oral-antiviral-medicine-in-at-risk-adults-with-mild-to-moderate-covid-19/

Also risky.

Edited December 4, 20214 yr by vinny