Dear all - I realize my gratitude for the comments of both Steve Hill and
AJ O'Rourke may have been confusing - Steve asked if I was being sarcastic
(Steve, I hope you don't mind my discussing this). However, while it may
appear on the surface that Steve and AJ's comments were at odds, to me,
they both make good points. There's nothing wrong with a two- or
multi-pronged approach to social problems.
If I'm reading both correctly, they agree, that the unfettered capitalism
of pharmaceutical companies is problematic. AJ O'Rourke comments:
"Once again, I fear the mantra that "the free market is good" will
triumph, but just maybe in twenty years time, researchers will be writing
well founded articles on how such a culture cost health services billions
and delayed the development of effective treatments for some illnesses"
He goes on to support nationalization. It makes sense to me that
nationalization could provide an improvement in utilization of resources
and public health (less me-too drugs, minoxidil and more free screenings
and care for children, etc.).
At the same time, I think Steve Hill makes a point (also acknowledged by
AJ) that multinational corps just go elsewhere when faced with
nationalization. Therefore, I think the practical approach of controlling
demand, as Steve puts it, is a good start to getting some practical grip on
the situation - until all nations find that they don't want to be the
playground for companies hell-bent on making profits at all costs (at which
point nationalization would be the likely outcome everywhere in my
estimation).
By the way, a nice book I'd recommend is Linda Marsa's, "Prescription for
profits: How the pharmaceutical industry bankrolled the unholy marriage
between science and business."
I am currently writing a book about how financial conflicts of interest
deform medical science (clinical medicine) - so this is a brazen plea -
anyone with good war stories - please contact me. I already have some
great stories - but more never hurt and insider information is especially
welcome.
Jeanne Lenzer
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-----Original Message-----
From: steve hill [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 12:15 AM
To: Jeanne Lenzer
Subject: Re: hope you can hear this applause
Jeanne, were you being sarcastic?
I wondered because my views were at odds with those of AJ O'Rourke
Steve
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