Tuesday, August 11, 2009

2543 A thought

Tuesday, August 11, 2009


Computers have raised writing to a new low.


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A few days ago I noted that health care doesn't seem like an area where profit should be the main determinant. Consider this: what incentive do pharmaceutical companies have to develop cures? That would be killing the golden goose.

Same for energy policy. What incentive do energy providers have to discover or promote more efficient machines, generators, or batteries?

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I sent The Man some advice today: "Don't walk behind the elephant."

I got back a two word reply: "Too late."

I'm wondering, but I know he'll be too busy to explain until next week. Besides, I think he likes being mysterious.

Like I said - frustrating.
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3 comments:

the queen said...

No such thing as a cure (well, except for VD and malaria). They can make enough money making the treaments for incurable diseases.

Kate said...

It's a big problem. Pharmaceutical companies have something like 7 years to sell their products before they go generic. From a business standpoint, it doesn't make sense for them to focus on rare diseases when it's much more profitable to just tweak a diabetic, hypertensive, or cholesterol drug. Why should they focus on dysentary when the people that get it have no money/insurance? So research goes into what is funded by pharmaceutical companies.

It's also aggravating that they've been able to re-patent their drugs by just combining two existing ones together (Ex: Vytorin). So, when the patent's about to go generic, they combine two, sell it for just under what the two would sell separately and keep the money coming in.

And as The Queen pointed out, it's better to not cure your customers and keep them buying your product.

the Gypsy said...

I've been saying forever that pharmaceutical companies only make medications to mask symptoms, not cure problems. And, those medications create other symptoms that you need more medications for, that create other problems... It's a self perpetuating industry with no motivation to actually cure people of disease. The medical industry WANTS people to be sick, or else they'd be out of a job...