Canada - Healthcare "Parasite"

[Tonington]

Here's a novel solution. Big pharma companies partner with smaller biotech companies that have promising new drug or methodological improvements. Big pharma can spend less on R&D, and improve the chances that they have those blockbusters. In the end, the consumers pay less, and the cost controls most countries have enacted (in part due to the failing model in large phamaceuticals operations) will have much less impact on pricing in the US.

 

[AnnaG]

Here's a novel solution. Big pharma companies partner with smaller biotech companies that have promising new drug or methodological improvements. Big pharma can spend less on R&D, and improve the chances that they have those blockbusters. In the end, the consumers pay less, and the cost controls most countries have enacted (in part due to the failing model in large phamaceuticals operations) will have much less impact on pricing in the US.

Except big pharms can afford to pick and choose all over the globe for whichever biotechs they want to use to minimize cost and still charge an arm & a kidney for their product. Geee I bet they do that already. Same with the handful of big food companies. They spend a couple peanuts for a few bushels of rice and turn it into Rice a Roni, screw with people's health and charge them a lung or two for it.

 

[ironsides]

Again, what incentive would there be if everything sold could be pirated/reproduced in a few weeks after put on market? A company does not itemize each drug it sells, it includes all operating expenses in the price of a item. Some maybe cheap some not. The cost of a custodial worker is buried somewhere in the price of a item. We may not like how they do business, but it is what it is. They get to greedy and they get fined. We definatly do not want socialism getting involved in the production of medications, nothing would ever be produced on time. Some of those big pharmaceutical companies could by and sell countries if they want.

 

[Tonington]

We definatly do not want socialism getting involved in the production of medications, nothing would ever be produced on time. Some of those big pharmaceutical companies could by and sell countries if they want.

Yeah, who wants Universities finding drugs that cure cancer on public funds rather than private? That's just insane.

:roll:

 

[karrie]

Again, what incentive would there be if everything sold could be pirated/reproduced in a few weeks after put on market? A company does not itemize each drug it sells, it includes all operating expenses in the price of a item. Some maybe cheap some not. The cost of a custodial worker is buried somewhere in the price of a item. We may not like how they do business, but it is what it is. They get to greedy and they get fined. We definatly do not want socialism getting involved in the production of medications, nothing would ever be produced on time. Some of those big pharmaceutical companies could by and sell countries if they want.

again, you've already got government controls in some places, so, socialism already is in place on your pharma industry.

And to answer your first... I would again ask you why on earth Canada still engages in R&D if pure, huge, profit is the only reason to research?

 

[Tonington]

Ironsides, it is unbelievable how paranoid you Americans can be to anything "socialized". The link I presented to you above is a clear example of a case where the profit motives of your "free market idealism" will not produce a drug with proven cancer fighting results, because the patent is already out on the drug...

Obviously, there is a place for socialism in society. Heck, you're fine with subsidizing failed drugs in the price of new drugs, but apparently aren't fine with doing the same for one that already has proven results?

That is insane....INSANE!

 

[ironsides]

Unfortunatly profit is the anme of the game world wide.

 

[karrie]

it is ironsides. And profit is still achievable in our system. Just not at the expense of the health of the tax base.

 

[ironsides]

Yeah, who wants Universities finding drugs that cure cancer on public funds rather than private? That's just insane.

:roll:

Yes it is and then they sell it to a major pharm. company. Yes there is something wrong.

 

[Tonington]

Yes it is and then they sell it to a major pharm. company. Yes there is something wrong.

The patent has expired on that drug...no company will "buy" that, because they can't make any money from that. No patent= no profit returning.

 

[Tonington]

Unfortunatly profit is the anme of the game world wide.

Not for public research.

 

[karrie]

Yes it is and then they sell it to a major pharm. company. Yes there is something wrong.

sell it? The patent is expired on it. Anyone can use it... there's nothing to sell. It is an inexpensive drug that anyone can manufacture, if and when research proves it is safe for what they intend to use it for. The last I'd read on it, the U of A has commenced human trials, funded in large part by the citizens of the town of Peace River, Alberta (commence the slams about greedy Albertan Cons now...)

 

[EagleSmack]

I saw on CNN that prescription drugs are the second biggest addiction in the US.

I believe that. Oxycotin is a big thing down here. Some say a pill costs about $100. Geez!

 

[karrie]

I believe that. Oxycotin is a big thing down here. Some say a pill costs about $100. Geez!

My brother has lost two acquaintances to Oxy in the last three weeks. Two young men under 30. It's most definitely not just the US with a prescription drug problem.

 

[ironsides]

People seeing multiple doctors for the same problem. There is no central database for prescription drugs. All bought perfectly legally.

 

[Tonington]

People seeing multiple doctors for the same problem. There is no central database for prescription drugs. All bought perfectly legally.

Is this an argument for a single payer system? Only one database to access...:smile:

 

[ironsides]

sell it? The patent is expired on it. Anyone can use it... there's nothing to sell. It is an inexpensive drug that anyone can manufacture, if and when research proves it is safe for what they intend to use it for. The last I'd read on it, the U of A has commenced human trials, funded in large part by the citizens of the town of Peace River, Alberta (commence the slams about greedy Albertan Cons now...)

Of course they sell it, the university researcher makes money by creating a cure/treatment. The pharmacy will do the research on safety (funding human trials) before it is deemed save for the public. The goverment of course has the final word about safety. Being that the pharmacy funded the project, they have to make a profit. Granted some of those profits are initially astronomical, but eventually prices drop. At the end of the patent protection period any company can make and market the product.

 

[Tonington]

Of course they sell it, the university researcher makes money by creating a cure/treatment. The pharmacy will do the research on safety (funding human trials) before it is deemed save for the public. The goverment of course has the final word about safety. Being that the pharmacy funded the project, they have to make a profit. Granted some of those profits are initially astronomical, but eventually prices drop. At the end of the patent protection period any company can make and market the product.

Maybe you are unfamiliar with how this works. Dichloroacetate is a drug currently prescribed for something else. The patent ran out on the drug long ago. The new studies have shown promising results investigating the glucose metabolism (glycolysis) of cancer cells, though no human clinical trials have been conducted. In order to receive licensing to sell this drug as a cancer cure, somebody needs to pay for the clinical trials. No pharmaceutical company will do this, because as the patent has already ran out, a generic brand could sell the cancer cure once the other company produces the results in clinical trials. It's not a new drug, so you can't patent it. So they can't make their money back. So we're stuck with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, with adverse health side effects until someone out of the goodness of their heart spends that money. There is no profit incentive. So it must be from a philanthropist, or public funds.

 

[karrie]

Of course they sell it, the university researcher makes money by creating a cure/treatment. The pharmacy will do the research on safety (funding human trials) before it is deemed save for the public. The goverment of course has the final word about safety. Being that the pharmacy funded the project, they have to make a profit. Granted some of those profits are initially astronomical, but eventually prices drop. At the end of the patent protection period any company can make and market the product.

Wow, you didn't read a single thing we explained to you.

A university is running the research, because pharm companies won't touch it since the patent is expired, thus no money to be made. Research is being funded by the public... the citizens of Peace River and some gov. grants.

 

[AnnaG]

People seeing multiple doctors for the same problem. There is no central database for prescription drugs. All bought perfectly legally.

So much for getting a second opinion.