Outraged!

I tried to go to sleep tonight, but couldn't.  I decided to get up and write a blog post.  I figure maybe by venting my frustrations out here, I will feel better and be able to fall asleep.

Yesterday, my friend posted a news report on her Facebook page.  The title sounded interesting so I clicked on it.  As soon as I started reading it, I could feel my blood pressure start to rise.  How can the FDA do this?  How can a drug company do this?  I have no earthly idea, but they are putting hundreds, probably thousands of babies at risk and could possibly put the IVF world at a stand still.  Here's the article that has me boiling mad and something has to be done. 
Price of Preventing Premature Births.

This hits so close to home for me because I know what it's like to lose a baby, two in fact.  I would have paid any price to keep my son and daughter.  I would have gone bankrupt if I had to pay $1500 a day for one shot.  In fact, when I was pregnant with all 3 of my sweet girls, I was on that shot every single day.  I still have the knots on my backside to prove it.  With Brooklyn I took the shot to 34 weeks and with Sydney until week 30.  At that time it cost me $40 for a month supply.  It wasn't an option for me not to have that shot.  My body does not produce progesterone during pregnancy like it should.  Thankfully it did it's job and I have a 4 and 5 year old to prove it.  This drug is not expensive to produce.  Compounding pharmacies have been making it for years.  Now they must stop.  KV Pharmaceuticals is the only one that can manufacture it because the FDA gave them the patent.

There are other forms of progesterone that are widely used.  Prometrium (the big yellow pill) is the most popular but not everyone can tolerate it.  For me it made me sick as a dog.  There are also suppositories, which I have taken as well, but none of these forms get into the bloodstream as fast as the injection does.  That is why it is so important in preventing premature babies.  When a mom is in labor prematurely there is no time to swallow a pill and allow the day or so it needs to get into the bloodstream.  That mom needs it now.  What would you do if you knew your babies life was at stake and you were at the hospital and they say they need a check from you for $1500 in order for your babies life to be saved?  That is what is happening right now.  Most people just don't have that kind of cash laying around.  What about the insurance companies?  No way.  Blue Cross Blue Shield has already said they will not cover the shot.  More insurance companies will follow in their footsteps.

This ruling must be overturned immediately.  Shame on the FDA and shame on KV Pharmaceuticals.  I would love to flood the drug companies in boxes with emails.  I would encourage you to join me in this fight to save babies.  You never know, the future baby could be yours.

Email for KV Pharmaceuticals: investorrelations@kvpharmaceutical.com
Email for the FDA: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/email/cder/comment.cfm

Note: According to their website they say they are doing everything they can to make sure mothers have this drug.  According to a local OB who had to make this decision last week, on behalf of a mom 29 weeks pregnant in active labor, they financial aid takes a week to go through.  These moms have minutes, not weeks, for this drug.