New chronic pain drug

[Rollin Rick]

Story here (http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/12/29/pain.medicine.ap/index.html)

[Lainy]

I was pretty fired up when I read about Prialt being approved. Then at one web site I read it would cost between $3,000 and $4,000 per patient per dose. That doesn't count the cost of the pump itself, the cost of surgery to implant the pump, nor the cost of the doctor's time to put the stuff in the pump however often that's needed. I had heard when the 'cone snail drug' was finally approved it would be expensive. Maybe a dose goes a long way so the cost only seems prohibitive. Do insurance companies even consider covering drugs that cost this much?

[metronycguy]

from what i have read on the cone snail pain medication, all other pain management has to have been tried and failed. prior installation of a implanted pump is a must, only when the morphine pumps do not work , Will they try the snail cone venom due to the possible side effects.