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Part of MY world :)

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Medicine and money

I've been sick for a month now with influenza nothing serious but I am starting to lose my voice. All that cause I am forgetting to tell dad to get me some medicine. At the end, which is today, I went to the pharmacy to get medicine cause I am in real pain now and I am afraid that if I stay like this my voice will end up mute. I entered to the pharmacy,
Me: I need "Augmentin" medicine please.
Dr:What dose do you need.
Me : I donno.
Dr: Ok here it is. 19.5 Jd's please.
I was shocked from the price,but didn't utter a word but thank you paid and left.
I called dad ,Who is a Dr.
Me: Dad how much does "Augmentin" cost?
Dad:8.5 JD's
Me: But I just paid 19.5????
Dad:Tell them to give you the lower dose, You don't need that high dose?
Me:OK
I went back inside and changed the medicine.

I just never thought that medicine would cost this much. Its not about me I know I can afford to pay this much of money but what about other people???? Can everyone pay this amount of money and its just a flu? What if I had a serious sickness? How much would I pay? Would other people sell their shelter to buy medicine ? I really was shocked today , I always knew that medicine is not cheap but I never understood why? It really bothered me to know that some people are dying cause they don't have money to pay for medicine? Would they survive if they have the money?

I just have one word to say " Please God help those people "

posted by M!R@CHK@ at 2:15 AM

23 Comments:

  • ur right.. u reminded me of a story happened like 4 years ago and i've published it be4 in maramrita.com
    i will repost it in my blog

    salam

    By Blogger مترجم سوري, at 8/18/2005 3:38 AM  

  • haha 19.5 JDs, wala eshi. You can get amoxicillin which is similar but doesn't contain the clavulinic acid part which makes augmentin stronger. But 19.5 JDs is relatively very cheap. Some patients with rheumatoid arhtritis and inflammatory bowel disease pay 4500 dollars every week to get the magical "Humira" shots, and you can expect how expensive chemotherapy is for cancer patients who sometimes pay tens of thousand of dinars for one treatment of chemo. Most medicines are very expensive and rug companies care about one thing: MONEY AND ONLY MONEY.

    By Blogger Hareega, at 8/18/2005 9:58 AM  

  • yesterday a three hospitals in jordan refused to take emergence pregnancy case, at the end the women had to do it in the street.
    in jordan if you don't have money you worth nothing.

    By Blogger Madi, at 8/18/2005 12:34 PM  

  • Noone i would love to read it :)
    Harega i know its cheap but its just a flu ????never expected that number :P
    Jad i can agree :( and again i say may God help those people

    By Blogger M!R@CHK@, at 8/18/2005 1:34 PM  

  • It's summer, why do you have a cold?

    Salamtik..

    I was told that Jordan is a pioneer in medicine. I think it's true, I go for jordanian "Amoxidar" (same stuff: amoxicillin) for 3 jds, and it works for me.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/18/2005 8:41 PM  

  • Mira I once had a flu and went to the ED because it was persistent, and my bill came back as 450 dollars for a couple of blood tests and a chest x-ray, even without the price of medicine included, i'm lucky i have insurance so i paid only bucks.


    But 20 JDs to treat a flu isn't much. Simply people in Jordan don't like to pay for their health care and many of them underestimate the help provided by health care professionals.
    MAny rich people can pay 100,000 dinars or more for a wedding or a spectacular car but they don't like to pay it for a health service they got, and i'm talking here about those who CAN affored to pay it but feel it's a waste of money.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/18/2005 9:54 PM  

  • Samir i have a sensitive money and you can say i am always sick :P Amoxidar is not bad i agree with you.
    Hareega you didn't get my point did you? I was saying i was surprised coz i never went to the pharmacy myself to get medicine,i was wondering how can someone with 200 Jd's income raise a family and pay for medicine. I meant it just a flu and costed this much what if he had a serious sckness what would he do? tome 20 Jd's dont mean alot but to some people trust me it does thats the whole point???

    By Blogger M!R@CHK@, at 8/18/2005 10:14 PM  

  • In my experience, medicine in Jordan is so cheap. And you don't have to visit your Dr. and pay him for an office visit, prior to getting a prescription.

    Why do medicines cost so much in general? I'll tell you. Because it takes millions to discover them....actually hundreds of millions. $850,000,000.00 to be exact. So how do you expect drug companies to discover new drugs if they don't make money selling them? They only have a few years to recoup the money they spend discovering them because of patents. The governments are definitely not driving the research. When was the last time any government organization discovered a medicine? And how will the cure for cancer and AIDS be discovered without raising money to drive the research? The profits from selling medicines raises these funds.

    Would you rather sleep in the hospital and spends thousands of dollars on treatment or spend a fraction of that on medicines that will allow you to prolong your life?

    I am really tired of the pharm companies being made out to the be "bad guys". Drug companies donate so much money and medicines to those that need it most. They do a great service for humanity and have made many of the diseases that would have killed people in past, treatable. What other industry can say that?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/18/2005 11:04 PM  

  • Hi Mira sure it's a big problem that most poor people can't get access to good health services in Jordan. I got your point, but usually those who can pay don't like paying to doctors as if their health isn't that precious.

    Luai, man what you're saying is right but it's only part of ther truth. I think there are a lot of "bad guys" among drug companies. Merck knew about the negative effects of vioxx THREE YEARS AGO and they informed their drug reps to avoid discussions about its possible (now definite) side effects on teh heart.

    In 2003 drug companies spent what is equal to 5.5 BILLION dollars as gifts and free meals to doctors alone to promote for their new medications. 5.5 billion .....

    It's ok for drug companies to make money, but it's not ok for them to claim that patient care comes first for them.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/18/2005 11:21 PM  

  • Good Topic Mira...

    I've been very sick in May this year...I've paid over JD500 worth of medications and doctors checks up...

    My brother is a doctor as well, when he was a trainee in a private hospitals he used to get in trouble as he tried to help patients who rush into emergency and couldn't afford to pay the costs.

    Yeah, those who live in Westren Amman are like 15% of the total population..meanwhile the vast Jordanians live in poverty...

    It's really great to see that some people still care...God bless you Mira

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/19/2005 4:21 AM  

  • Hareega,
    I am on way out the door to catch a flight back to the US. After being in Mumbai for 4 weeks, I really want to get home :-)

    Anyway, I hope that we can continue this discussion in a few days. Check back for my response on Monday. I hope we are not taking over the blog!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/19/2005 5:47 AM  

  • Luai sure i'll be waiting, hope you'll have a safe trip back home

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/19/2005 1:48 PM  

  • Anonymous I am sorr to here that slamat man :) I agree that the vast number in jordan live in poverty but dont forget hand by hand we can make a differece ;)
    Luai you are welcome :)travel safely back home sweet home ;)
    Hareega i will be waiting as well :P i realy like the discussion so far dont you? :)

    By Blogger M!R@CHK@, at 8/20/2005 1:34 AM  

  • Guys read this
    http://blueninosy.blogspot.com/

    By Blogger M!R@CHK@, at 8/20/2005 1:42 AM  

  • Mira, a few months ago my brother had a strong flu, and his medicine cost $80 (just for a bottle), so it's not only Jordan..

    I would like to defend the medicine makers though. The process of making medicine is by no means a simple one, no to mention the regulations the medicine makers have to follow.

    That being said, I agree with you that it is rediculous paying that much. One way they solved that problem here, is by having medical insurance which is provided for you by your employer, or you can get it your self from a number of companies.

    By Blogger x, at 8/20/2005 9:04 AM  

  • well I just read the previous comments, and realized that I'm not the only one defending the pharm. companies... it seems like the others know much more than I do, so I'll let them fight it out ;)

    By Blogger x, at 8/20/2005 9:09 AM  

  • Its just unfair for people who can't afford it and don't forget you PAY for insurance??
    I know that he viruses change and they have to keep up to date with medicine i know it cost money but i donno what's the solution ??

    By Blogger M!R@CHK@, at 8/20/2005 10:36 AM  

  • Mira - I've always wondered about how people in Amman afford to just LIVE there, including of course medication. It amazes me how the cost of living increases logarithmically, while income seems to stay almost flat.

    By Blogger lulu, at 8/21/2005 10:40 PM  

  • Hi Mira..

    My cousin actually died when he was three days old because the hospital (in Amman) would not admit him till my uncle paid - he had the money at home, but asked them to start treating the baby until he went home and got the money..

    A few minutes - and a little compassion - could've saved a life..

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/22/2005 2:22 AM  

  • Lulu ya more than half the people here are suffering and thats bad :(

    Dalia welcome to my blog.I am really really sorry to hear that:( people can be so mean they forgot what humanity means ?and now they all run after a new God called money :(

    By Blogger M!R@CHK@, at 8/22/2005 11:45 AM  

  • i used to agree with omar and luai about the pharms.companies... but after i left to kuwait.. i was more than surprised to see the medical system there..
    if u are sick .. u go to the hospital... a docotor sees u and writes u a prescription..and the pharmacy gives u the medicins written on it...all this for FREE!!!!!!!!

    By Blogger مترجم سوري, at 8/23/2005 4:37 PM  

  • Holy moly! 19 JD for Augmentin! A good thing we have in Syria is that medicins are too cheap..,they are useless, but cheap! so when we get sick....we pay little money for medications, but we remain sick....until we go to Lebanon and pay big money for the medications....still...the concept remains, medicins are cheap in Syria!

    M3afayeh inshallah..

    By Blogger Ihsan, at 8/24/2005 12:48 AM  

  • No one and Ihsan thats my point :)

    By Blogger M!R@CHK@, at 8/24/2005 1:03 AM  

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