DRUGS

Rockville, Maryland - February 26, 2016: An unopened vial of Velcade at a chemotherapy treatment office in Rockville, Md. One vial holds 3.5 mg of powder per vial. The patient receiving this dose only needs 1.3 mg. The remaining amount will be thrown away.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals only sells Velcade, a drug to treat multiple myeloma and lymphoma, in the United States in 3.5 mg vials, which has enough medicine for one day’s treatment for a 6-foot, 6-inch person weighing 290 pounds. If a patient is smaller, much of the powder is put in the trash.

Pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. sell extra large doses and make big profits on the medical waste.

CREDIT: Matt Roth for The New York Times
Assignment ID: 30186899A

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Filename: 160226_Drug_Waste_102.jpg
Copyright: 2016, Matt Roth
Image Size: 7952x5304 / 19.2MB; mattrothphoto.com; Drug prices Maryland Rockville VELCADE cancer drugs cancer medicines chemotherapy disposed drug makers drug waste federal Medicare program pharmaceutical Maryland Oncology Hematology profit thrown in the trash waste
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Rockville, Maryland - February 26, 2016: An unopened vial of Velcade at a chemotherapy treatment office in Rockville, Md. One vial holds 3.5 mg of powder per vial. The patient receiving this dose only needs 1.3 mg. The remaining amount will be thrown away. <br />
<br />
Takeda Pharmaceuticals only sells Velcade, a drug to treat multiple myeloma and lymphoma, in the United States in 3.5 mg vials, which has enough medicine for one day’s treatment for a 6-foot, 6-inch person weighing 290 pounds. If a patient is smaller, much of the powder is put in the trash. <br />
<br />
Pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. sell extra large doses and make big profits on the medical waste.<br />
<br />
CREDIT: Matt Roth for The New York Times<br />
Assignment ID: 30186899A