In some cases it makes sense for sure. I'm guessing that or something like that is probably why Lucentis is also a blockbuster drug. If the price makes sense then what's the point in thinking any more about it? I would just go with the most affordable option.
In my case, he prescribed it and I asked for an alternative after a small case of sticker shock at the pharmacy (and the pharmacist was the one that mentioned it's practically Zyrtec). The next visit he dumped a couple months worth of samples into my lap and told me I should just stick with it and pay for it because it's worth it, so have some manufacturer coupons - you know, the same doctor that prescribed Zyrtec to me before Zyrtec was OTC, hahahaha. I'm still assuming that he wasn't after a kickback as much as it was just sticking with anything that worked at all in the months that I had bronchitis and sinusitis at the same time (with existing allergies and asthma, it was a terrible hell). Except he kept telling me to give it a chance after all that was over. Then I changed insurance plans and he wasn't in network so that was that.
I think the most unfortunate thing is that pricing is pretty opaque. Outside of that and a couple other situations, my doctors have been really helpful in trying to find cheaper alternatives but they don't know what is cheaper other than having someone spend time with the pharmacist going down a list of alternatives. Another anecdote from helping my dad: I used to set aside 2 hours every time he got a new prescription from his ophthalmologist. There were eyedrops that were literally $5/bottle/month, and then there were eyedrops that retailed for over $500 for a fucking 10ml bottle ~1 month supply (I'm looking at you Alphagan P). Every insurance company and plan would be different so someone from the doctor's office had to call the pharmacy and dealing with this took a couple extra hours on my end. Sometimes some brand name would be drastically cheaper than the generic (this happened with Adderall with my old insurance plan). Sometimes the price changed for no discernible reason (not even like anything to do with deductibles). It drove me nuts.
In my case, he prescribed it and I asked for an alternative after a small case of sticker shock at the pharmacy (and the pharmacist was the one that mentioned it's practically Zyrtec). The next visit he dumped a couple months worth of samples into my lap and told me I should just stick with it and pay for it because it's worth it, so have some manufacturer coupons - you know, the same doctor that prescribed Zyrtec to me before Zyrtec was OTC, hahahaha. I'm still assuming that he wasn't after a kickback as much as it was just sticking with anything that worked at all in the months that I had bronchitis and sinusitis at the same time (with existing allergies and asthma, it was a terrible hell). Except he kept telling me to give it a chance after all that was over. Then I changed insurance plans and he wasn't in network so that was that.
I think the most unfortunate thing is that pricing is pretty opaque. Outside of that and a couple other situations, my doctors have been really helpful in trying to find cheaper alternatives but they don't know what is cheaper other than having someone spend time with the pharmacist going down a list of alternatives. Another anecdote from helping my dad: I used to set aside 2 hours every time he got a new prescription from his ophthalmologist. There were eyedrops that were literally $5/bottle/month, and then there were eyedrops that retailed for over $500 for a fucking 10ml bottle ~1 month supply (I'm looking at you Alphagan P). Every insurance company and plan would be different so someone from the doctor's office had to call the pharmacy and dealing with this took a couple extra hours on my end. Sometimes some brand name would be drastically cheaper than the generic (this happened with Adderall with my old insurance plan). Sometimes the price changed for no discernible reason (not even like anything to do with deductibles). It drove me nuts.
tl;dr don't be sick. it sucks.