Incentives to vax

[wmw999 2,120]

 

5 minutes ago, Slim King said:

The pharmacompanies have corrupted the politicians with their donations .. The pharmacompanies  OWN the FED and all the rest. Do you really think that they are all on the up and up? Really?

No, I don't. It's the system we've backed our way into. And I mean everyone in the US -- there are millions of drug consumers for medical reasons; we're deep in a "there's a pill for it so I'll let that deal with it" culture. Everything is more complex than it used to be, but we like the results -- no one just casts a broken leg any more, it's surgically repaired. Better results, and faster -- most Americans are happy to let their insurance pay for faster and better. Do you propose simply doing away with pharma companies? They do most of the research, with the profit motive topmost in their minds. 

How'd we get there? Cutting taxes to the FDA (because, after all, the pharma companies were already doing that research, and it was getting expensive, especially with all the new drugs coming online. Improving medical care on the curing side, without investing similar amounts into the maintenance of health (after all, that's "personal responsibility," right?). That takes more drugs. Allowing the public advertising of drugs on TV and in periodicals, so people ask for them by name. In the cause of deregulation. Let's not forget the huge explosion in cancer treatment -- using drugs. And, of course, our reliance on antibiotics means that we keep needing new ones, because evolution means that organisms develop resistance to the old standby ones.

It's where we are. We can't get anywhere from where we coulda-shoulda-woulda been, only from where we are right now. Which means that any Tom, Dick, and Harry (preferably either with insurance or money) can ask for any old drug that they've seen advertised for whatever they think ails them. And now we have the people who are taking Ozempic or whatever to lose weight. Weight loss is an issue -- the crappy food that we've also been sold for the last 60-70 years has been designed to addict, just as tobacco products, hydrocodone, and video games are.

We've back ourselves into a reasonably fucked corner. And it's not going to be private enterprise or revolutions that are going to get us out. It's not going to be governments, either -- but at least governments can make legislation. They don't always get it right, but I'd trust a publicly-elected body more than most publicly-traded companies. Because the companies are after our money, and they don't really care how they get it. They have a continuity that goes beyond individuals, where elected governments, especially on the local level, are subject to faster recall.

Wendy P.

[normiss 622]

2 hours ago, ryoder said:

I'll see your meme, and raise you a meme:

 

Large coffee

[Phil1111 910]

16 minutes ago, wmw999 said:

....No, I don't. It's the system we've backed our way into.....

Wendy P.

Because you're too considerate you conceded too much in you're response. US pharma doesn't own the French drug procurement system, the Canadian system the EU, Australia, NZ, etc. etc. It doesn't control or influence the drug approval process in those countries. US pharma overcharges for its US drugs v the rest of the world. But it ends there.

If falsely labeling the FDA as corrupt sells your personal refusal to take drugs that your physician recommends thats on the conspirators. Its all just a part of Washington being owned by everyone but republicans b.s. If being bitter and angry leads to shorter lives its all good in the end.