[lit-ideas] Re: vicious budget cuts

Veronica Caley wrote:

"Actually, a lot of the research for new drugs is based on studies into
basic research and other types in universities.  Much of this is paid
for by tax money and funds provided by foundations and grants."

Here at U. of Toronto, a lot of the research is funded by the drug
companies, as well as the government.  I don't like what this does to
the University but it does give students remarkable opportunities.
Furthermore, because of the association with the University, the
research has an additional degree of critical study that might not
otherwise occur.


Veronica continues:

"I am willing to pay for these drugs for poor people.  I object to
paying significantly more than Europeans and Canadians, many of whom are
not poor.  The US is no longer number one or two in the standard of
living.  And the number of poor people in this country is multiplying at
an appalling rate.  And if you read Julie's post re the health issues in
her family, you know that sometimes families can't get insurance because
they are sick."

I think this is terrible but the situation is not the fault of drug
companies.  As I have said before, I am happy with the Canadian system
of universal healthcare.


Veronica continues:

"My dental hygienist told me the story of one of her other patients, a
person who worked for one of the pharmaceutical companies.  She quit
because she couldn't stomach charging people $300 for a month's supply
of a drug that cost $3.00 to make."

My sister-in-law is a project manager for a company that tests and
produces drugs for the drug companies.  The testing in particular is
horribly expensive.  I asked her once why some chemist couldn't come up
with something in her garage and put it on the market.  My sister-in-law
said that it was possible as long as the chemist had access to the
millions of dollars it would take to do the tests and then make the
drug.  She added that the majority of drugs tested don't make it to
market.

I don't want to suggest that the system is a good one, I just don't
think that the proffered 'fixes' are appropriate.


Sincerely,

Phil Enns
Toronto, ON

------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html

Other related posts: