There are some specialised drugs around which are extremely expensive. Here are a few that I can recall off-hand:
For the rare condition called pulmonary hypertension, all the specific treatments are very expensive - The only tablet, bosentan (tracleer), is about UK£16k for a year's supply, with the injectible/pump medications such as treprostinil or iloprost slightly more expensive.
Some new anti-cancer treatments (e.g. traztuzumab or paclitaxel, which are used for breast cancer) can cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds for a single dose.
Valganciclovir, a new anti-viral treatment, for certain viral infections is also expensive - about £2k for a 3 week course of treatment.
The newer 'clot-busting' drugs for use in heart attack or stroke, are relatively expensive, though usually only given as a one-off dose - Various different types of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) are available with prices ranging from around £500-£800 per dose. Having said that, I do know one medical consultant, who having already suffered 1 heart attack, took a vial with him when he went on holiday to India - just as a precaution.
Liposomal amphotericin is an anti-fungal drug for severe infections in people having chemo for leukaemia. It costs about £400-800 per day, usually given for 7-20 days at a time. At hospitals with leukaemia units, this drug will typically be the number one, in terms of total cost for all drugs for all patients.
For the rare condition called pulmonary hypertension, all the specific treatments are very expensive - The only tablet, bosentan (tracleer), is about UK£16k for a year's supply, with the injectible/pump medications such as treprostinil or iloprost slightly more expensive.
Some new anti-cancer treatments (e.g. traztuzumab or paclitaxel, which are used for breast cancer) can cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds for a single dose.
Valganciclovir, a new anti-viral treatment, for certain viral infections is also expensive - about £2k for a 3 week course of treatment.
The newer 'clot-busting' drugs for use in heart attack or stroke, are relatively expensive, though usually only given as a one-off dose - Various different types of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) are available with prices ranging from around £500-£800 per dose. Having said that, I do know one medical consultant, who having already suffered 1 heart attack, took a vial with him when he went on holiday to India - just as a precaution.
Liposomal amphotericin is an anti-fungal drug for severe infections in people having chemo for leukaemia. It costs about £400-800 per day, usually given for 7-20 days at a time. At hospitals with leukaemia units, this drug will typically be the number one, in terms of total cost for all drugs for all patients.
