Cost of medical devices

From another thread where this would (and is already starting to be) a possibly inappropriate derail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horhang (Post 12936507) The treatment, optune apparently has a price tag of 21,000$/ month. I am at a total loss on this price. The electrodes and battery packs involved cannot in any way justify this price. I hate to say it but this appears to be gouging the desperate for the last dime. Price of the units cannot be more than at most a few 1000 dollars. Those units Do not appear to be one time use, or at least the battery packs are not, and those would be the most expensive component. 21,000 per month is extortion for people with this cancer.

The battery pack might be the most expensive part in the device but the most expensive component is the research that went in to to it. Stop paying for that and these devices don't get developed. The price has to cover the entire company of Novocure, any third parties that may have contributed to the development, and any external costs arising from the clinical trial and regulatory processes.

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