EU nations join forces against 'exorbitant' hepatitis C drug

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EU nations join forces against 'exorbitant' hepatitis C drug

<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/eu-nations-join-forces-against-exorbitant-hepatitis-c-193456820.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7Gwzv6YsQXGYAnhFEDRdzA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9NzU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par7911051-1-1-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="French Social Affairs and Health Minister Marisol Touraine speaks during a press conference at the ministry on June 19, 2014, in Paris" align="left" title="French Social Affairs and Health Minister Marisol Touraine speaks during a press conference at the ministry on June 19, 2014, in Paris" border="0" /></a>France said Thursday it has joined forces with 13 other European countries to negotiate a lower price for a promising new hepatitis C drug that has drawn controversy for its astronomical cost. Sovaldi, made by US pharmaceutical firm Gilead Sciences, has shown huge potential at helping cure the liver disease but its price -- more than 50,000 euros ($68,000) for a 12-week course of treatment -- has health authorities concerned. &quot;If we accept such a high price, firstly we won't be able to treat everyone and we will also be creating a risk for our social security system, which means for other patients,&quot; French Health Minister Marisol Touraine said Thursday. &quot;So I launched an initiative... to mobilise all European countries and make sure we join forces to weigh on price negotiations with this US laboratory.</p><br clear="all"/>

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