“I think, we’re very responsible in our drug pricing. And we tend to
support the price of our drugs with strong economic data,” Caruso said.
“So rather than pledge to a particular number, I think it’s important
that we continue to develop robust data that provides a solid foundation
for the value that our products provide the health care system.”
Those comments sparked immediate frustrations due to the fact that
Johnson & Johnson has gained notoriety for its high drug costs.
Currently, the pharmaceutical company is producing and marketing a
cancer drug called Imbruvica, which costs roughly $9,550 for one bottle of 90 pills.
Imbruvica’s dosage calls for four capsules per day, meaning one
bottle lasts about a 22 days. In total, a year-long supply of the drug
would cost approximately $154,922. Another drug Johnson & Johnson
markets, used to treat Hepatitis C, sells for a little more than $22,000 for a month’s supply, equaling $264,000 for a one-year supply.
“Johnson & Johnson’s justification for their prescription drug
prices are outrageous,” Vijay Das, a health care advocate at Public
Citizen, stated in
response to Carusos’ conference call comments. “Sick patients and
taxpayers are held hostage in order for the drug maker to extract
extreme profits.”
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