Wednesday, June 14, 2006

NastyGram Du Jour

Dear Mr. Downey,

Today, for the second time, I asked to be removed from your company's mailing list. Is it not enough that you charge $1,440 for a ONE MONTH supply of Copaxone? Is it not enough that a year's cost ($17,280) exceeds the U.S. minimum wage? Must you also taunt me by flinging my hard-earned money away on cheesy bulk mailings? I may have multiple sclerosis and lesions on my brain, but I am not STUPID.

When you send me a greeting card to mark my second anniversary of taking copaxone, are you actually thinking this is a happy day for me? Are you under the utterly idiotic impression that I will have cake, balloons, presents and a party? Do you not understand that I, and others, are a captive market? I need your drug in order to do things other people take for granted, and you want me to celebrate that fact?

I'm a writer, and I lack words blistering enough to convey to you the abysmal stupidity your marketing department displays by sending out Copaxone anniversary cards. I already know you spend twice as much on advertising as you do on research and development, and you expect me to be sanguine about the way you are frivolling away my money?

Send me one more thing, Mr. Downey, and you will be out $17,280 per year, because I will stroke out and die from sheer rage. Of course, then you will just raise the price, won't you?

Fucktards.

10 comments:

Imp said...

I dub thee "The Jaminator"

Very well done! *kisses*

Will Belegon said...

I think you used your words just fine there, jammies...

*wave*

Jammies said...

Thank you.

*blush*

'twas just some venting for me.

*return girl kisses*

*giggle*

Jammies said...

*waves back*

Thank you too, Mr. Belegon.

Anonymous said...

OK, this is not going to be a popular response, but call me the devil's advocate here:


Darling, you are damned lucky to have that drug available. Maybe you should throw a party with cake and balloons, because had you lived with this disease before the advent of these drugs, you would not have as bright a future as you do. I care for 3 MS patients on a weekly basis, and each time I do I thank the heavens that you will never been in the condition they are (unable to do the simplest task for themselves, such as scratch their own noses when there is an itch) because of these new drugs that have changed the course of the disease.

It really is a cause to celebrate!

*NLH*

Jammies said...

Is this one of your funny things I don't get? :-p

'cos I'm not mad about taking the meds, just the price.

Anonymous said...

Har!

You wench.

No, it is not funny.

I had a point, but I grow weary.

Murphy Jacobs said...

Gratitude for a drug is not lacking, I think, in this post.

I have serious doubt the charged price for that drug merits spending money on thing such as bulk mail cards reminding a person they have been taking the drug. Yes, it's great the drug exists. And it's equally great some can make a profit because people get serious illnesses that require these drugs. Disabled people would give any amount of money to be able again. But -- and I think this is the point -- if you are getting that money for that drug, the least you can do is not visibly demonstrate to me that you are wasting it on frivolous stuff.

That's sorta stupid. No, lemme correct that. STEEEEWWWWPEEEEED. Corporate bulk mailings that aren't about something useful -- new drugs, price drops, warnings about side effects, etc. -- are counterproductive. While having the drug is a positive, not having the diseases the drugs treat would be much better. Celebrating not being debilitated is an interesting thought, not common to most of us. And who's to say Jammies doesn't give thanks daily?

But to be reminded by the drug company who is making all they can ( as business, that's their job. They aren't really around to help people except as a side effect. They are a business. They exist to make money.) is sort of tacky. "Hey, you should celebrate giving us a huge portion of your monthly income so that you won't be debilitated!" is how it comes out.

And, I'm sure, once the patents are retired and generics are available, they won't be sending those cards.

Anonymous said...

Damn...... just freaking damn...

*big tight hugs*

the queen said...

AHAHAHAHAHAHHA! I laughed out loud, Gary paused the TiVo, and I read it out loud to him. God bless you and your rage.