"We'll all be rooned!"

[Greynomad]

Had a good laugh at the expense of US drug company today.
News item showed what a bunch of greedy, grasping opportunists they are...
Sydney chemistry students have reproduced the active ingredient in a drug used to combat HIV. US manufacturers sell the drug for $100,000 a dose.
Students reproduced it for $20.
And the US wants Oz parliament to lengthen the period a patent is held on drugs, arguing they have to recoup R&D costs!
If it were'nt so serious, it'd be funny!

[native pepper]

You'll find that's the case with just about every pharmaceutical, many years ago I knew someone who worked for a big pharma company and they said the markup was in the thousands of percent and it's as bad for veterinary products. The medical profession is one big rip off, 90% of their products don't do anything other than mask the symptoms for a short time and addict you. All you need for good health is a decent dietary and lifestyle approach.

[Greynomad]

HMMmmmm...
Quite a generalisation.
SWMBO is an excellent cook, we have a varied & complete diet, and both have both lived an active lifestyle.
(SWMBO in swimming competetively and me cycling competetively.)
Yet I still contracted cancer.
Then there's the hereditary problems others have.
Diet & lifestyle ARE important, but I wouldn't be alive today without prayer & the products of some research chemists somewhere.

[JohnM]

Not wishing to stick up for the Pharmaceutical companies, but one of the main reasons for the astronomical prices is the fact that we live in a litigious society' A side effect may show up in a minuscule percentage of the population, that has a preexisting condition that responds adversely to the drug, that half a dozen people world wide are recruited by an unscrupulous lawyer and the suit results in ridiculous compensation charges.
At the end of the day however the major thing that effects prices is what people will pay! I had a very good mate (Best man at our wedding) who was a Doctor, I used to jokely state that they had it right when the doctors were known as leeches, all they did was make a fortune out of some poor bastard's misfortune. I remember him explaining the percentage of each consultation fee that went into insurance, combined with the clinic costs, there really wasn't a lot left for wages.
I assume that similar costs would be encountered by the pharmaceutical companies plus the time spent developing the drugs, testing and then getting them approved which can add up to as long as 10 years, and then the same insurance multiplied by millions, then taking the state of the patients, particularly in the case of Case of Cancer patients, it is a wonder that more patient's families don't claim for false representation when the drugs don't work.
Shakespeare had the idea when he said "first shoot the lawyers" (or words to that effect).

[SteveW]

All you need for good health is a decent dietary and lifestyle approach.

I draw your attention to an article in several of today's newspapers;
"The man who invented the Big Mac burger, one of the most iconic fast food dishes ever, has died - aged 98."

[native pepper]

HMMmmmm...
Quite a generalisation.
SWMBO is an excellent cook, we have a varied & complete diet, and both have both lived an active lifestyle.
(SWMBO in swimming competetively and me cycling competetively.)
Yet I still contracted cancer.
Then there's the hereditary problems others have.
Diet & lifestyle ARE important, but I wouldn't be alive today without prayer & the products of some research chemists somewhere.

I'm a cancer survivor, who went against the medical profession after a major operation and stints at Peter Mc callum clinic in my 20's and survived, as have many hundreds our cancer and NDE survivors group has helped over the last few decades. Of those that approached us, then went back to the medical profession with a terminal prognosis, very few if any lived to an old age. Cancers, diabetes 2 and many other illnesses are on the rise, as people don't look at what they put into their bodies, just accept the promotional lies and propaganda.

Now In my 70's and still around, fit, healthy, take no form of medication, never get a cold, flu or sick and can play music most nights on the road for 3-4 hours. Still do heavy major repairs on all our vehicles and machinery, just completing a new glassed in veranda on my house, if the rain will stay away for a few days.

After being brought up in a very religious family, you wouldn't like my comments on prayer and religion. The statistical facts surrounding the veracity of religion, prayer and healing, speak for themselves. However self examination and positive thought processes do help a great deal, the airy fairy, someone else take the responsibility approach, doesn't.

[triptracks]

Not standing up for the drug companies, however....
It's not too hard to copy someone else's work once the the solution has been found.
Funding and committing resources to finding the solution is the expensive part.
I liken the students to hackers.

I can relate this to computer ethics and other research areas.

[Greynomad]

David,
I accept that R&D costs should be recouped...
But $100,000 vs $20 says to me that either R&D cost tens of zillions of dollars, or someone is making hay while the sun shines... a LOT of hay!

[T1 Terry]

Not standing up for the drug companies, however....
It's not too hard to copy someone else's work once the solution has been found.
Funding and committing resources to finding the solution is the expensive part.
I liken the students to hackers.

I can relate this to computer ethics and other research areas.

Funny you should mention that David

T1 Terry

[Dot]

A bit like people that say they have written something but really they have copied it?? Re the drug prices how about instead of our pollies giving $$$ to other countries they spend the $$$ on the drugs for the people here that can't ever afford them? just sayin