FDA Approves Most Expensive Drug in History

A recentMy Healthy Clickarticlereported on the FDA approval of the most expensive medication in history. The drug, Zolgensma, is sold byNovartisand used to treat children under two who suffer from a rare genetic disorder called spinal muscular atrophy. The disorder only affects about 400 babies each year, but the effects are lethal. Children with the condition experience a deterioration of muscle control losing the ability to move, swallow, or breathe.

The medication is a one-time infusion that takes about an hour to administer. It costs $2.125 million, but Novartis said it would allow insurers to make annual payments of $425,000 for five years. The out-of-pocket costs for patients will obviously vary depending on their insurance plan.