Dirt cheap antivirals :-)

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

M2slo2cht@nospam.invalid - 27 Oct 2006 02:28 GMT

Over the years here, I've seen quite a few people state that they have
no insurance and they can't afford antivirals. Now, if I understand
correctly, Walmart is offering a 30 day supply of 200mg Acyclovir for
four dollars. So far, they're extending that offer in 27 states. I
presume the other states will receive the same deal soon. That sounds
like great news to me and is gonna be tough to beat.

Another thing, I saw on tv last night that the FDA has approved a
Shingles vaccine?? That was the first I've heard of that news. Anybody
know anything further about it?

M2

Reply to this Message

grant - 27 Oct 2006 10:12 GMT

I had not heard anything about the shingles vaccine. But how is that
possible? Wouldn't that just be the chicken pox vaccine?

I took a look at the list of meds Walmart was offering for $4 a few weeks
ago and I didn't see Acyclovir on it. But perhaps I didn't look hard
enough.

Thanks for bringing up that info M2.

ar

> Over the years here, I've seen quite a few people state that they have
> no insurance and they can't afford antivirals. Now, if I understand
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> M2

Reply to this Message

M2slo2cht@nospam.invalid - 27 Oct 2006 22:32 GMT

>about the shingles vaccine. But how is that
>possible? Wouldn't that just be the chicken pox vaccine?

I have no clue. I saw it on a CBS News report. They just said the FDA
had, that day, approved a "Shingles vaccine" while they ran a video
clip of pills being factory bottled. No further explanation. I was
wondering if anyone here could shed some light on it.

>I took a look at the list of meds Walmart was offering for $4 a few weeks
>ago and I didn't see Acyclovir on it.

Click on the "Generics for $4" link here:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2006-10-26-walmart-drugs_x.htm
and look halfway down the right hand column under "Antivirals".
Acyclovir 200mg is the only thing listed under that heading

M2

Reply to this Message

Tim Fitzmaurice - 30 Oct 2006 10:25 GMT

> I had not heard anything about the shingles vaccine. But how is that
> possible? Wouldn't that just be the chicken pox vaccine?

It might be or it might not....as with episodic and suppressive therapy
you would potentially need to write two applications to get your vaccine
listed for chickenpox and for shingles. You wouldnt take the longer time
and wait for the shingles data to come in to do it in one application.

However it might be different as you can try a variety of different
vaccines to hit different forms/effects of one disease agent, by taking
out different genes from an attentuated vaccine or in a subunit vaccine
having different proteins from the virus present...ideally those
responsible for the effect you are after blocking.

Some digging on the FDA site indicates that its Merck thats been granted
the license, they do make chickenpox vaccine from memory but the details
did mention post-herpetic neuralgia as well - so its not just recurrences
they went for.

I couldnt find anything on if its naive or infected patients they were
treating either....so whether its just an extension of registration of a
chickenpox vaccine to include use in shingles, whether its for uninfectred
or infected individuals or if its an entirely new vaccine I dont know.

Tim
--
When playing rugby, its not the winning that counts, but the taking apart
ICQ: 5178568

Reply to this Message