18-Year-Old Patient Says $3.5 Million Hemophilia Drug He Needs Seems a "Little Steep"

You can get the most expensive drug in the world for a small amount of money. These days it's a fleeting title.

Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that prevents blood from clot forming when a person's body can't produce the right amount of the clotting factor. It causes sufferers to bleed profusely from the smallest cuts and nicks.

Depending on the severity, the symptoms can affect a person's livelihood for the rest of their lives. A lot of people face too many close calls and need weekly infusions.

It is of paramount importance to treat it, especially with the more severe form of the disease.

Hemgenix's manufacturers, Australian pharmaceutical company CSL Behring, charging a ludicrous $3.5 million for a single round of therapy is getting some different responses from patients.

The 18-year-old living with a bleeding disorders told Insider that it seemed a bit steep. It doesn't seem like it's bad compared to what we pay.

It's a bit euphemistic, but the cost of fighting the disorder is very high. He thinks his insurance will spend a million dollars a year on his treatment.

Others were harsher in their criticisms. Hemgenix's cost is not a fair price at all, according to Jerry McMillan Jr., a 47-year-old patient.

He voiced concerns over whether insurance companies would cover the price of the drug in the first place.

Gene therapy drugs like Hemgenix can be life changing, even with just one round of therapy, which is why they cost so much. Their benefits tend to diminish over time.

It's not clear how long Hemgenix's effects will last. 98% of Hemgenix recipients no longer need follow-up injections, according to a clinical study.

Leonard Valentino, the CEO of the National Hemophilia Foundation, said that the drug's asking price was a good bet since other existing treatments cost up to $600,000 a year.

It could be good value because of how expensive pharmaceuticals are. It's ridiculous but the problem is bigger.

A one-time fee is not the best solution, but we don't have a healthcare system that can think about any other ways to do this.

The title of "world's most expensive drug" has been overtaken three times in the past few months after Rome authored a research letter that pointed to the ballooning prices of drugs since 2008.

Being less than phased about Hemgenix's price is not unwarranted at the moment. It's fairly common. That doesn't bode well for patients in the American health care system.

Many people are using a diabetes drug for weight loss, even though it can be hard to get it.