RESMED gone wild - u need prescription to buy RESMED's mask

[Guest]

what is the impact of this discussions - re FDA & CPAP masks

Is CPAP.com, our host selling mask - selling mask without prescription, wrong or illegal?

will the Govt impose these law as eBay did?

Is the mask roulette and illegal activity?

[Wulfman...]

If it was illegal or wrong......CPAP.COM wouldn't be doing it.

If the "mask roulette" was illegal, CPAP.COM would have put a stop to it.

Ebay has also (recently) put the kabosh to the sale of firearms parts, too.

I think they're trying to be "PC" and may have gotten bullied by a CPAP manufacturer.
I'm sure they can do whatever they want to in their business with regard to what they want to allow to be sold.

Den

[Guest]

There are two machines and many humidifiers for sale on ebay at this moment.
The secret to buying a machine on ebay is to message the seller and ask them to contact you before ebay cancels the listing.

[dieselgal]

There are two machines and many humidifiers for sale on ebay at this moment.
The secret to buying a machine on ebay is to message the seller and ask them to contact you before ebay cancels the listing.

That is true HOWEVER, as a seller if you post it and they cancel it to many times they can and will lock you out of your account because you are ignoring them. They also won't give your listing fees back after so many attempts, even if they cancel your auction.
Another words they have all the control.

[Guest]

The assumption is that you would not have over one to sell.

[neversleeps]

So in conclusion - it seems that Resmed is asking that the FDA regulations be enforced,,,,

There is no hard evidence anywhere in this thread as to which manufacturer was involved in approaching eBay, despite the shoot-from-the-hip topic title chosen by the OP!

It seem fairly clear that all the suppliers have been nominating mask as prescription items with the FDA for a while, and they all have the same basic interest in the topic, so it could have been any one of them.

Cheers,

Bill

As a matter of fact, it was Resmed who approached eBay according to this article that appeared in HME News back in 2005:

Internet
eBay shuts down CPAP auctions
By Jim Sullivan, editor - 01.2005


SAN JOSE, Calif. - On a recent Tuesday afternoon at eBay, you could have bid on a CPAP package that included a Respironics Virtuoso LX Auto, a ResMed Mirage mask, filter, tubes and plug and a carrying case for $365. The seller’s mother had used it once but didn’t take to it.

“The entire system cost me well over $1,300!” the seller wrote in the listing.

If you went back to eBay the following day to place a bid for that package, or 17 other flow generators or masks that were there Tuesday, you’d be out of luck. That’s because eBay, after considerable input from suppliers and a push by ResMed just before Medtrade, has begun to shut down the auctions before they close.

“Their policy is that anything that requires a prescription or is FDA- regulated should not be sold over eBay,” said Ron Richard, ResMed’s v.p. of marketing. “All we were doing was asking them to enforce it.”

Before eBay cracked down, the volume of CPAP sales had been rising steadily for years, said John Goodman, president of Cpapman.com.

“eBay was moving about 12-15 CPAPs a day, and 30-40 masks a day, and it was growing,” he said.

The sales bothered suppliers, not so much because eBay was gobbling share but because suppliers believed eBay’s pricing pressures were creating a misperception among insurance companies.

If consumers could buy new flow generators and masks at such deeply discounted prices, insurers were inclined to wonder why they couldn’t pay that amount as well, said Sandy Fermoile, owner of Apnea Care in Buffalo, N.Y.

The cost of providing CPAP therapy extends some distance beyond the cost of the equipment, say suppliers. And those costs are not reflected in the price paid on line.

“[Insurance companies] are negating the costs of dealing with insurance companies,” said Goodman. “In my business, 20 cents of every dollar is spent trying to get paid by insurance companies.”

Since ResMed pressed eBay, the company says the volume of auctions has dwindled dramatically, from a one-time high of 60 pages to just two pages. Though CPAPs may still make it onto the site, they’re pulled before they reach Page One.

Not so for oxygen concentrators. Name-brand concentrators were selling for $100 to $150 during the same week eBay was shutting down its CPAP auctions. Part of the reason eBay clamped down on CPAP may be the result of direct efforts by ResMed and suppliers. And part of the reason there might have been so many CPAP products for sale online may be unique to CPAP sales.

“A lot of [sleep lab] technicans [who received masks from manufacturers at deeply discounted prices] were taking them home and selling them at oneseys and twoseys,” said Fermoile.

Other culprits, he said, were the manufacturer’s reps themselves.

“They’d get a supply of masks from the manufacturer, and instead of giving them out for trial, they were selling them,” he said.

[Guest]

excellent nws - thanks

this proved my point that it was that RESMED - the one behind the push...

and as we probably also suspect, DMEs and Rts are also delalng in this "CPAP black market"

who else can sell more than 1000 masks and CPAP peripherals... and yet e-Bay target the small sellers who sell 1 o2 2 per year, before the big removal this week

[goose]

The issue, in my mind, is really FDA classification.
If the manufacturers are applying for their "license" with "prescription only", it's up to the FDA to reject the application and tell the manufacturer that it's really not a prescription item, to re-apply appropriately and that they're only trying to "protect" their distribution channels.....Not something the FDA cares about or is tasked with.
I don't believe masks are prescription overseas -- only in US. I could be wrong in that......
I also don't believe that PB has been misinterpreted, I believe the big "R's" have been misinterpreted and the FDA really needs to revisit the whole issue.....
Yeah. Right!!! (Who's got the $$$????)

The telling paragraphs are:

The sales bothered suppliers, not so much because eBay was gobbling share but because suppliers believed eBay’s pricing pressures were creating a mis perception among insurance companies.

If consumers could buy new flow generators and masks at such deeply discounted prices, insurers were inclined to wonder why they couldn’t pay that amount as well, said Sandy Fermoile, owner of Apnea Care in Buffalo, N.Y.

The cost of providing CPAP therapy extends some distance beyond the cost of the equipment, say suppliers. And those costs are not reflected in the price paid on line.

To me what that says is that the DME's/Manufacturers are afraid the insurance companies are going to figure out they are being ripped off. Suppliers say that the costs go beyond the cost of the equipment.
Oh really???
Like what?? I have a pretty reasonable DME, but they don't provide me anything I can't do for myself at about 1/4 the cost to the insurance company if permitted.
If the insurance companies figure that out, the party is over for the DME's.

Just my two cents.....

cheers
goose

[billbolton]

As a matter of fact, it was Resmed who approached eBay according to this article that appeared in HME News back in 2005:

This is old news related to the eBay sale of CPAP machines, and in any case says "That’s because eBay, after considerable input from suppliers and a push by ResMed just before Medtrade, has begun to shut down the auctions before they close".

This discussion is about the eBay ban on CPAP masks implemented in the last few days. Do you have any hard evidence over who the "supplier" was in this new ban on mask auctions?

Cheers,

Bill

[goose]

My posts have been specific to masks and to be honest, the "supplier" is totally irrelevant to the argument. For all I care it could be ACME Mask Inc. with Wily Coyote as the VP of sales.....

Realistically there's not a dimes worth of difference between any of them. They're all out to make as much $$$ for their shareholders as possible (and also stuff the golden umbrellas of their executive management/board members), and if they do it by allowing DME's and themselves an avenue to screw insurance companies (and us) that's ok with them. As long as the revenue stream is preserved, and they don't get found out, they really don't care.....
It's business in America............

Ebay is apparently just enforcing their own rules - again, who brought it to their attention is totally irrelevant!!!!

cheers
goose

[cpapernewbie]

do not worry

there is another very big media for buying and selling CPAP masks

Go to Amazon!

[rested gal]

As a matter of fact, it was Resmed who approached eBay according to this article that appeared in HME News back in 2005:

This is old news related to the eBay sale of CPAP machines, and in any case says "That’s because eBay, after considerable input from suppliers and a push by ResMed just before Medtrade, has begun to shut down the auctions before they close".

This discussion is about the eBay ban on CPAP masks implemented in the last few days. Do you have any hard evidence over who the "supplier" was in this new ban on mask auctions?

Cheers,

Bill

I wouldn't be surprised if part of the push by ResMed included rallying their DME clientele to bombard eBay with "input" back then.

If it walks like a vulture...

viewtopic.php?t=4407
Aug 30, 2005 subject: Monopoly?

From capt's post:
My original DME here in Calgary, Alberta, used to stock ResMed masks. My respiratory therapist personally thought the Ultra Mirage was one of the best masks available for his patients. On his own, he developed a small stock of masks, headgear and many replaceable parts, so he could provide his patients with any support they might need. After providing this service for a few years ResMed served him and the company with a stop and desist order. This was done so that the DME that ResMed selected as their sole representative was protected.



viewtopic.php?t=9418
May 23, 2006 8:35 pm Post subject: "Resmed not in Canada you say?" ... a pity

From Johnny Goodman's post in that thread regarding resmed's policy to not allow cpap vendors in the U.S. to sell resmed machines to customers in other countries:

I am deeply saddened by Resmed policy. I believe that Resmed does not understand what the internet will mean to the CPAP industry and is constructing its policy accordingly. You ask me to shed light on this, but I see no reason it in. I do see that it will cause much short term pain for our business and for international customers. Long term I fear the pain will be felt by Resmed as other willing brands step up and meet the need.



viewtopic.php?t=10666
Jun 30, 2006 subject: Resmed officially raising prices

From neversleeps' post quoting an article in HME News:
POWAY, Calif. - ResMed plans in September to implement strict new quidelines--including mandatory minimum pricing--intended to bring law and order to the Wild West approach some online retailers take when selling CPAPs.

"We are going to be strict about enforcement of our Internet policy," said Hillary Theakston, director of communications. "If we find that an Internet dealer is not in compliance, then we will stop selling to them; it's as straight forward as that,"

And talks like a vulture...

viewtopic.php?t=12422
Aug 18, 2006 subject: Audio File of Resmed "Internet Sales are Not a Good Thi

From a guest's post:
I listened to the audio. So Resmed views internet sales as "bad medicine" and "bad treatment" and contends that internet retailers "don't give a damn if the patient comes back."


viewtopic.php?t=14435&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45
Oct 17, 2006 subject: New Resmed Move Makes Buying Even Harder

From my post on page 4:
Did resmed come right out and say in so many words, "We want to destroy internet sales."? No.

Do I think if resmed's Chairman could snap his fingers and have all internet cpap retailers disappear at once, would he? Yes, I think he would snap 'em. My opinion.

From their derogatory statements about internet retailing, I think (my opinion) resmed would very much like to see an end to all internet sales of cpap equipment. They make it clear they want to see everyone trooping back through the doors of the local DMEs. DMEs Who just happen to be resmed's biggest customers by far. If resmed's actions were to destroy internet retailing of "cpap" products (they won't, but if they did), I think resmed's Chairman would be very pleased with himself for firing the first shots:

1. forbidding internet dealers from selling resmed products to other countries.

2. lobbing that minimum mandatory price grenade straight at cpap users who buy supplies from internet stores.


It probably is a vulture.

But, yeah, it could be a duckbilled platypus.

[billbolton]

Duplicate

[billbolton]

I wouldn't be surprised if part of the push by ResMed included rallying their DME clientele to bombard eBay with "input" back then.

Just like I'm not surprised that you are "supposing" again with no hard evidence.

Do you have any hard evidence over who the "supplier" was in this new ban on mask auctions?

The ComfortGel nasal mask can only be obtained through a physician prescription.

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/co ... 12_03.html

[Snoredog]

I wouldn't be surprised if part of the push by ResMed included rallying their DME clientele to bombard eBay with "input" back then.

Just like I'm not surprised that you are "supposing" again with no hard evidence.

Do you have any hard evidence over who the "supplier" was in this new ban on mask auctions?