Psoriasis is a serious chronic disease that causes skin lesions. In fact, it is a pathology in which the human immune system attacks its own skin cells. Unfortunately, modern medicine has not yet been able to completely cure psoriasis, since the disease occurs at the genetic level. However, existing drugs eliminate symptoms, that is, cause long-term remission. The most effective of them are those that eliminate the cause of skin lesions, and they are quite expensive. For example, the cost of one injection of Stelara from Johnson&Johnson in the USA ranges from $27,000 to $52,000. Surprisingly, the cost of the American drug in Russia is completely different, and the difference is smaller.
Psoriasis — a serious illness that causes people physical and mental suffering. Photo source: journal.tinkoff.ru
Psoriasis — causes of the disease
Psoriasis manifests itself in the form of papules (rashes) or pink-red plaques on the body. In this case, the damaged surface becomes covered with scales and peels off. A person usually experiences severe discomfort, as the disease is accompanied by itching and pain.
The rash can appear on any part of the body, but psoriasis most often occurs on the head, elbows and hands. This causes patients not only physical, but also mental suffering. The disease can occur at any age, but more often it appears after 20 years.
Why does this disease occur? In fact, there are many reasons, as well as its types. Currently, scientists recognize the participation of the immune system in the mechanisms of psoriasis development. Cells of the body's immune system (immunocytes), which in healthy people react to foreign substances, begin to attack body cells, most often the skin.
Psoriasis often appears on the elbows. Photo source: ria.ru
For this reason, more active division of cells in its surface layer begins. However, epithelial cells, that is, skin cells, do not have time to fully mature, as a result of which they cannot firmly adhere to each other. For this reason, they come to the surface and form plaque-like protrusions that grow. Simply put, the cause of psoriasis is the improper functioning of the immune system.
How does the drug for psoriasis work
Psoriasis is treated with various means, including at the local level with all kinds of ointments, creams, lotions and even leeches . They eliminate itching, skin inflammation, flaking and other symptoms. But the most effective solution to the problem, as mentioned above, is to eliminate the cause of the rash. For this purpose, drugs such as Stelara are used, which prevent immunocytes from attacking skin cells.
Immunocytes — immune cells, which in psoriasis begin to attack skin cells. Image source: profhobby.ru
The principle of action of the drug is to block cytokines, that is, proteins that interact with the cellular receptor to attack the cell. That is, they bind to cytokines, as a result of which immunocytes can no longer harm the body’s cells. The problem is solved until new immune cells appear that can attack the skin again.
The most expensive injection for psoriasis
From all of the above, it follows that a person with psoriasis has to repeat the course of treatment from time to time, or rather — immune suppression. Although the drug is not as expensive as the drugs we talked about earlier, nevertheless, in the USA one injection costs 27 thousand dollars, and according to the GoodRx resource, the average cost of this drug in America reaches $52,347. But the most interesting thing is that the cost of Stelar varies greatly in different countries.
In Russia, the American drug for psoriasis Stelara costs more than 10 times less than in the USA. Photo source: mosmedpreparaty.ru
For example, in Spain this drug can be bought for 2700-3000 euros. In Canada it costs 5,000 Canadian dollars. In Slovenia, Stelara will cost 2000 euros. In Russia, the drug can be purchased for 180-200 thousand rubles, which is approximately 2,400 US dollars. Thus, the markup in the United States for the drug is about $24,000. What is the reason for this pricing policy of the American company Johnson&Johnson remains a mystery.
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Finally, we note that Russia has developed its own drug for psoriasis — Efleira. It also affects cytokines, which prevents immunocytes from attacking cells. Its price in pharmacies is less than 23 thousand rubles.