*OT* el paradisio, I will take up your " why are drugs expensive? " question :
What I do not understand,
1. Prescription drugs are going up, rising medicare cost is saying us,that the population is more sick...
but the leading pharmaceutical companies,like MRK,PFE,BMY,SGP....are growing slow and the stock prices are almost the same as one year ago.
2. All that pharma companies reports higher international sales.
3.Pharma companies have better research, more expensive drugs for sale, almost... every 2 weeks a new expensive drug is approved by FDA.
What is going on here???
Maybe, PLACEBO "prescriptions" and doctors abusing the system?
I get it to mean you don't know why drug prices are going up? Are you ready?
<vbg>
Because:
-older population is being kept " healthier " by extraordinary
interventions on cardiocascular system( coronary baloons
+ stents ) which require expensive meds to keep it open.
-treatment of heart failure , the result of when the above
fails
-Lawsuits ( need longer testing; payout to frivolous
claims; look at silicon implants ).
-indiscriminate use of antibiotics for colds; uneccessary
but neither patients nor family docs have the cahones to
stop it.
-That has given rise to widespread antibiotic resistance
requiring the use of stronger 4 th generation
cephalosporins and Vancomycin.
-use of drugs to keep older and older bodies going even though
they do not help.However patients demand it and Docs are too
impotent/busy to say no.
-Corollary to above, Docs don't want to become economic cops
for health industry, government etc
Most docs feel this is a decision our Society must make.
-International sales have lower profit margins.
-New drugs are more expensive because Pharma needs to
recoup costs rapidly before another Pharma discovers a
better pill.
-Docs are forced into abusing psychotropic drugs because
HMOs will not pay for the better treatment:
psychoanalysis. So docs just dope your pain and anxiety.
5 minutes and you are out the door.
Pharma has deemed a 3 year shelf life for drugs. Recent studies
by the US ARMY and VA Hosp. indicates instead that
shelf life maybe as long as 10-15 years for most drugs.
Pharma certainly does not waant to let this cat out
of the bag, because...........remember...........
Pharma is not The Social Service Dept: They
are for profit companies.
-The 10 year Bull Market has created a lot of wealth.
People thus have been eating high on the hog.
Obesity is at record proportions in the US ( 60% of
Americans are obese ).
That jacks up your cholesterol and causes diabetes and
high blood pressure. You need drugs to take are of that.
Thus everybody's drug kitty has gotten fatter and more
expensive.
These are s o m e <vbg> of the reasons el p.
I am sure that if I think about it a little bit,
( instead of giving you my top of the head thoughts ,<bg> )
I can find more.
One last note:
To pay for your fatter, more expensive drug kitty,
chances are you will need a wage increase.
Mention that to Greenie, next time you see him. I think
he ought to know about that development,
cheers
TA
Message #55417 from el paradisio at Jun 26, 2000 11:33 PM ET
Tunica, I think I'm missing something in this health care discussion.
1. I agree,we have more diagnostic tools now,than we had even 1-2 years ago.Patients are tested,tested,tested until they die or refuse unnecessary medical procedures.
2. Population is healthier than before, but baby boomers are getting older and expenses are growing.
What I do not understand,
1. Prescription drugs are going up, rising medicare cost is saying us,that the population is more sick...
but the leading pharmaceutical companies,like MRK,PFE,BMY,SGP....are growing slow and the stock prices are almost the same as one year ago.
2. All that pharma companies reports higher international sales.
3.Pharma companies have better research, more expensive drugs for sale, almost... every 2 weeks a new expensive drug is approved by FDA.
What is going on here???
Maybe, PLACEBO "prescriptions" and doctors abusing the system?
el
|
