My wife received this injection on a Friday, following her first (and only as it turned out) three days of chemotherapy. She became ever weaker on Saturday and through the weekend. We were concerned but not unduly so since weakness is one of the symptoms of cancer. We should have been, though, since she died the following Monday night of sepsis, a blood infection.

Note that the drug had no effect whatever on the infection. So what? Drugs are often ineffective, you might reasonably assume.

The problem is that this is not your ordinary drug. A single injection of Neulasta has a list price at our hospital of $4,200.00 and it is supposed to be given after each chemo session. The insurance co. negotiated the bill down th $3,850.00 but refused to pay any of it despite a chemo rider on the policy since it is not actually a chemo drug itself. Like many health policies this one did not cover prescription drugs. We were never advised of the extreme cost or effectiveness (or lack of it) of this drug.

There is no typo here. The net price of each one milligram injection is Three thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars and a patient receiving the normal three series of chemo treatments would likely receive three of these injections- and might very wel have to pay for them out-of-pocket.

If you are ever in this situation I suggest you have a serious talk with the cancer doctor and check your insurance coverage. Fine print reigns supreme, as usual. Not all chemo treatment is done with drugs covered by chemo riders. Any advice?

-The drug was given because your wife had cancer and her immune system was threatened. It was probably ordered by your wife's oncologist and I'm sure your insurance company had given her permission to be treated by the oncologist. Have you contacted your Attorney General or your State Insurance Commission?