I’m sure this is not new news: Prescription drug costs are out of control. We are at the mercy of the pharmaceutical industry, insurance companies, physicians and druggists in the care of our own health. Yet, should we be in the business of making huge profits from the poor health of our citizens? As a community, shouldn’t we care and pay for our grandparents – and help our sick? Among us are cancer patients who cannot afford state-of-the-art treatment because the costs are prohibitively high. Instead, they must choose older or inferior treatments that fit their budgets.
Drug companies claim research and development are the reasons for such high costs of new treatments. Insurance companies – in the business to make profits, too – often limit the amount or types of treatment. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, many of our citizens – even those with health insurance – have to choose the second-best care.
Part of the high cost of bringing products to the market is advertising. Drug companies spend $2 billion to $3 billion a year in advertising drugs to you and me. I can rattle off the names of drugs I’ve seen advertised lately with images of happy, healthy people. Your kids probably can, too.
The question of the hours is: why do pharmaceutical companies advertise to patients? We can’t exactly write our own prescriptions, can we? If our doctor won’t prescribe what we ask for, should we be allowed a refund and to seek a physician who will? I’m not so sure my doctor wants me to tell him which medications I should be taking (though I certainly would like to).
Advertising is propaganda. Instead of spending so much on advertising to the public, drug companies should reduce the cost of prescriptions. This way, more medications can be accessible to a greater number of patients.
Or, if we really think patients should be the target of advertisers, give them control of the market by not requiring prescriptions for anything but narcotics. Do we really need prescriptions for birth control pills or allergy eye drops? Indeed there is a certain amount of risk and guesswork involved in medicine, and doctors rely mostly on the subjective recounting of our symptoms to diagnose. Can’t we, as individuals, research medications, accept the responsibility and, if we wish, ask for the guidance of our physician in making our own choices?
Adults should be free to choose or to allow someone else to choose for them. Sure, some people will be concerned about lawsuits and people taking the wrong medicines, but consumers can find a great deal of information about drugs on the Federal Drug Administration’s Web site. We would all benefit if the FDA had an expanded, more comprehensive role, especially when it comes to the largely unregulated market of supplements – which most of us have taken here and there. An independent testing company, ConsumerLab, found excessive amounts of lead in a children’s vitamin. It also found that 25 percent of products do not contain what the label states. The FDA should be the individual’s “homeland security.” Everything that we consume should be tested for safety, efficacy and quality control.
I’m not an economist or a lawmaker. I have degrees in the liberal arts and a desire to see our elderly free of the burden of high prescription costs and cumbersome, confusing Medicare prescription drug plans. I’d also like to know that my neighbor can afford the latest and greatest in cancer treatment. I’d like to be captain of my own health care. And I’d like to know one thing for certain: Companies cannot profit from the poor health of our citizens or offer state-of-the-art treatment only to the wealthiest few.
I’m sure you’ve seen commercials for the drug I take – Advair. My asthma was totally out of control before this drug came along. It literally saved my life. But now that I don’t have insurance, I have to pay the $200+ cost of each diskus out of pocket. I can’t afford that. So, instead of taking two doses a day…I take one. It’s been out for some time now. If they weren’t advertising would I have to pay $200 a month? I wonder.
That is f—ing ridiculous, lalibertina. You should not have to skimp on your health. Asthma is scary. I know if it gets out of hand, it’ll be even more expensive.
If a person were working for $10/hour, it would take him 20 hours to make enough for Advair.
My son uses that med for his asthma, too. We have insurance, and every time I pay the $50, I think, what do people do without insurance? Now I know. And it’s not right.
I can provide some insight into this.
Pharma is a funny business. For every product you see advertised, there are dozens that the company spends ungodly amounts of money on researching that never make it to market. Further, as soon as the product is released, it’s a race against the clock to sell as much as possible before the patent expires and the generics destroy the profit margin (as they rightly should, generics serve a very important purpose). This makes it sound like the pharmas aren’t so bad, right?
BUT! Pharma engages in some dirty tricks to “extend” the patent…like getting it approved for pediatric use. Funny enough that shows it as a new product for a new purpose…and is enough to get a patent extension.
Then we have the advertising problem. Doctors these days are assaulted with a lot of material. They’re supposed to keep up on the latest medical journals, serve their patients, and network with other doctors…..AND read all the advertising crap? In short answer; they don’t. The pharmas know that their best bet is to get the patient to be the “salesman” to the doctors. Captive attention and what not. =)
There’s a quote I remember; someone responding to the question of why pills are so expensive when it only costs 50 cents to make one. The reply went like this, “Oh sure, that pill costs 50 cents to make. And the one before that costs 50 cents too, and the one before that as well. And then the one before that cost 150 million.”
Even so, pharmas can be extremely profitable, and while they can point to the “gamble” of finding a blockbuster drug and spending hundreds of millions on fruitless research for a decade to try and justify their pricing….do they really need to charge so much? Really? And why can’t health insurance be affordable to everyone?
On a side note…another confession of mine. I do share some republican ideals….personal responsibility, fiscal discipline, the importance of business. I’ve been called a moderate, closet republican, conservative democrat, etc. HOWEVER, I find it absolutely ridiculous that we, as a country, can’t help the people who clearly need help….or providing them low cost effective health insurance. Leaders have a responsibility to the people they lead. That responsibility includes making sure that they can have access to opportunity, be free of discrimination, and be able to provide for their basic needs like medication.
Sorry for the long post…I feel strongly about the tacit responsibility of leaders, both in business and in politics. We expect more, we deserve more. If people want to lead then they damn well better accept the responsibility that comes with it. Ugh. =/
Dave, I’m not sure that fiscal discipline and fiscal responsibility are republican OR democratic ideals. (Just look at the Bush adminsitration). Who doesn’t want those things?
There is nothing more frustrating that seeing all these folks who should not have been allowed to buy more house than they could afford being bailed out. Those of us who practiced financial responsibility and bought well within our means are now stuck bailing out those who didn’t. Of course, how can we expect our government to be fiscally responsible when we people are not. And vice versa.
Like auto insurance, I am all for making health insurance mandatory for everyone (illegals included), but premiums should be based on a person’s ability to pay. No hand-outs here, but certainly, you will agree that some should receive a price break. If everyone is contributing what they can, this is not a welfare program. It is universal healthcare.
Dam,
Agreed. We need something that makes sense. It does NOT make sense to charge people more than they can afford when it comes to healthcare (and likewise, letting them get a mortgage they can’t afford).
I know republicans love to talk about an “ownership” society, but when you can’t afford to own does that mean you don’t get to be part of that society? Since when was America exclusive and not inclusive?
Anyway, it’s frustrating. I know I don’t always share the same hardships that others have, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the need for a real solution. Also, another sidenote, I had asthma when I was younger….went to the hospital a few times. I know what that’s like.
The “ownership” Republicans talk of is for the wealthy. And Bush may have talked up ownership, but he has sold our country (and I know, others have, too, but Bush especially).
Since when was America inclusive and not exclusive? Justice almost always goes to the man with the fattest wallet. Always has. A college education, even with the GI bill, was always a given for rich families but a struggle for the middle class. (Hence, community colleges—how many rich families send their kids there?) Braces. How many families can afford $5800 to straighten their sons and daughters teeth? One bad accident or serious illness doesn’t cripple the wealthy as it can middle Americans. So “ownership” is for those who can afford it. Big business has made it more difficult for the middle class to participate.
Still. We have it a lot better than most other countries. We still have it good. Our children are entitled to a free education up to 18 years. We have to provide healthcare for the dying. Every man, in theory, is equal in the eyes of the law. We have hope.
Dam,
The inequity of personal wealth is both a good thing and a bad thing. This is something I have a hard time with personally; I want to see people who work harder (or longer hours) get rewarded more for their efforts. On the other hand, the huge chasm of relative wealth is tough to be comfortable with.
I read a book that tried to address this inequity of wealth called “The Winner-Take-All Society”. It’s pretty good and tries to discuss and tackle the problems of wealth inequity and potential policies to combat it.
While I was reading this my dog (Yorkie) just started having her puppies under my desk. I’m a pharmacy technician, pursuing a Pharm.D. and would like to explain this in further detail when the puppies are all out.
Love the blog.
Steven
Thanks Steven. I would love to hear your point-of-view on this topic. How many puppies, by the way?
Here you go dam, just for you.
http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/
Perhaps you should all take a look right on over here….
http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2009/01/15/drugs-are-expensive-call-the-wambulance/
He pretty much sums it up.
Dear Mr. Angry,
(Whew! I hope you just play angry on your blog and not in real life.)
Thanks for the interesting response on your blog.
Let me make two things clear: 1. I never said (and do not think) that pharmacists are profiting-only pharmaceutical companies, meaning, drug makers. 2. I am completely aware that we would not be able to write our own prescriptions, and I am completely aware that some should not, yet it is food for thought and something I support. Other countries do not have these restrictions-they do not say “our citizens are too stupid to choose for themselves.”
I believe this: if you can put guns in the hands of all those stupid people you mention, then why the hell CAN’T they decide which drugs they should or should not take. Of course, the majority of people would still seek the advice of a doctor. And for good reason. Yet, a lot of people do not need to.
You said this:
Are you KIDDING ME? Yes, I happen to think that MOST doctors ARE guessing, an educated guess, of course. You know that the practice of medicine is far from objective. Jeez. I could give you tons of examples, but I’m sure you have your own. Doctors can make people sick just as easily as they can heal.
I almost responded to the angriest post on that blog, but I think here is a little better… So hopefully you don’t mind to much
1st the post wasn’t at people at your job, the post was aimed at the companies themselves. (A worker at Pizza hut doesn’t make the same money as the people who are “company wo/men.)
It is unfortunate that a cancer patient may not be able to afford a state of the art treatment. But, as cold as it may sound, life can be a bitch. If that person were born in Mozambique, they would die of starvation 40 years before lung cancer (caused by a 50 pack-year history of smoking cigarettes) would have killed them.
Since other places are worse we shouldn’t endeavor to do better? Medical care if a right issue, we just haven’t all realized it yet. It is life or death, we aren’t talking about a sweater from some high end store, we are talking LIFE OR DEATH.
As a community, we ARE paying for our grandparents and MOST of our less fortunate — at least I am. You see, I pay 20 to 30 THOUSAND dollars in taxes that pays for MEDICAID and MEDICARE for the poor, elderly, disabled, and those that are a combination of all three. I would imagine you pay taxes as well.
You might be surprised to know but in most of the US being poor doesn’t get you medicaid or medicare unless you are old or young. Between the ages of 18-64 these options aren’t available (there are a few states that will with conditions.) Then we aren’t talking poor enough not to be able to afford insurance, we are talking poor enough you can barely eat. The amount of money that you have to be under is horrible. We can’t afford insurance, we don’t qualify for these because #1 We are 32 and 33, and #2 we make to much money. (To much money, but not enough to pay for insurance.)
Advertising is propaganda? A new doublethink phrase? Let me try: Marriage is divorce.
What? The phrase used was redundant to be sure, but to try to say the phrase is equal to marriage is divorce is silly. The very definition of advertising says it is propaganda. You know to influence opinions or behavior?
Now I am skipping a lot of this stuff, after all, I don’t want to totally take it apart.
As far as profit, that’s what drives discovery and results in a capitalist society. In Canada, everyone has access to healthcare. It’s affordable. But, they have to wait months to get in and be seen. Do you think they have access to state-of-the-art treatment? Not quite.
That is propaganda that has been aimed at the people in America so that we wouldn’t go to this system. The vast majority of people are hugely happy with there system and think we are stupid. (Take a look at some Canadian blogs, or read about their system from their perspective in comparability to ours. Don’t look at the American perspective, you know the one where our system is better than all the rest?)
On a side note: I like the advertisements for drugs (although I think they are overdone.) I like knowing if I should ask my doctor if something is appropriate for my family. My doctor has sometimes said something just wouldn’t work, and sometimes wanted to try out a suggestion. I don’t like the prices either, but I am not sure what the system could do to make it better/cheaper.
Thanks for the interesting comments, Terra. You made some great points. I’d also like to add that there are European countries that have socialized healthcare and are also very happy. Hec, they even treat injured and sick Americans who visit, gratis. No system (not even our democracy) is perfect. But we can do better.
I have health insurance. I don’t take medicines (except if I’m really, really sick!), but I feel for those who cannot afford their meds. Sure, there are people who abuse the system. But I’m of the mindset that a lot don’t: they just need help. I mean, jeez, the cost of a doctor’s visit or a new med, is ridiculous compared to the average wage.
I feel for the elderly. We should help our citizens who’ve made it so far and are now so vulnerable. Their meds are a huge cost for them…..So, no, I don’t mind paying for my elderly neighbor either.
Sure there are the working poor, I was on of them, at one time. Then changed jobs and careers and found a job with medical coverage. That’s who you’re talking about when you say people who can’t afford insurance, since if they were that poor, they would be covered by some government program.
Someone I know made selfish decisions in life, and is now 71…we live in PA and she has her scripts funded by taxpayers like me. (This is because she is lower income.) She is now away for the winter in warmer and sunnier Arizona, so I had to pick up said scripts and send them to AZ, because they won’t fill them out there (since the state of PA is paying for them.) 7 scripts…$35! We have private insurance, and one of her meds alone (if I was on it) would have cost me $35. And I say it’s selfish because she travelled the world when she was younger, not saving for retirement, and so now we have to help pay for her. I have another friend, who has since passed, who used to be on SSD and Medicare, and complained that she had to pay $1 (no kidding, I was there) for her syringes, when they should have been free. I thought you have got to be kidding me… the problem with doing programs like this, are people end up looking at them as entitlements.
(And I have friends that live in Canada and the healthcare there? Fine as long as you’re healthy. If you’re not, be ready to die waiting for the red tape…unless you’re young enough etc. I mean to be 40 and get a hip replacement almost never happens. If you’re in your 60’s or 70’s like most people in the US, you are too old to have it done there or in England.)
dam,
Sorry for the delayed post, five puppies by the way, 4 boys, 1 girl.
I have to admit I sent your post to ‘Angriest’ because I read him all the time. (kinda like I am doing now with your blog). He has a more informed opinion on it, as I am only a tech and he a pharmacist.
I’d like to mention that he is not criticizing you, it’s just his manner of explaining things from a different perspective and he’s aiming at all the irresponsible people he see’s everyday. It’s a sad fact that some people jump to conclusions about medicine, are complacent, or just can’t understand it (usually the elderly). Trust me on this one, he’s a pretty cool guy giving what he deals with.
Also, I don’t like seeing people getting screwed over with the prices, but I cannot control that.
I’ll go through some points though.
“1. I never said (and do not think) that pharmacists are profiting-only pharmaceutical companies, meaning, drug makers.”
He probably took it from this….
“…We are at the mercy of the pharmaceutical industry, insurance companies, physicians and ==> druggists <== in the care of our own health."
a "druggist" is what older people call "Pharmacist’s". (Please don’t interpret this as me calling you old, I’m just unaware if you knew that or not.)
"Between the ages of 18-64 these options aren’t available (there are a few states that will with conditions.)" – Terra
(I’m in NC) I have seen plenty of twenty-something’s at the register (mostly women) getting a co-pay of $0 from Medicaid. I’d probably say I see at least 10-15 a day walk out without paying. (They are usually nasty, and complaining about the wait time). Also, maybe 2-3 are there for a kid’s prescription.
I have to be clear on one thing. Removing the Pharmacist from the equation would be very bad. I work with some of the nicest, smartest individuals I have ever met. It may be all in where you are located, but people can be really nasty towards people who work in the Pharmacy. It all involves insurance companies, doctors who are way to busy to receive phone calls from a pharmacy, and the accepted idea that a pharmacy is a "Medical McDonald’s".
If you can stomach it, (remember, he’s like a Pharmacist version of Dr. House.), here is a valuable read on some ..
http://www.theangriestpharmacist.com/2008/12/29/zolpi-whaaaat/
Again, love the blog.
Steven
Steven,
Oh congrats on the new additions. My brother breeds dogs, and I know it can be difficult to bring the puppies to term sometimes.
Oh, and thanks for throwing me to the shark, Mr. Angry.
I totally understand what Mr. Angry is doing. Moreover, he’s blogging and who’s going to read him if he’s not inflammatory or thought-provoking? Though he’s more the former than the latter. LOL.
I didn’t know that “druggist” was an “old” term, but thanks for setting me straight. I happen to like words, so I use all sorts. Besides, my bratty kid sometimes calls me “old lady,” but I tell him, when he can beat me in arm wrestling, then I’ll be old….
I used to live in NC. What part are you in? (Promise, I won’t send a dog-napper.) I lived in Charlotte and Raleigh. Beautiful state.
OK. So I am well aware that pharmacists can be an important part of the equation. It was a pharmacist that once told me that a med prescribed by my OB for a sinus infection could cause….um…birth defects in my unborn child. I was thankful to him, but of course, I always (ahem…I know how much you’ll love this one) check on-line or in my handy reference guide! On the other hand, I once had a concussion, and the pharmacist accidently switched the labels so that I was taking pain med for nausea. So it happens. Docs make mistakes. Pharmacists make mistakes. Patients make mistakes.
In an ideal world, I would just like to have the option of choosing my own meds. I mean, we weren’t born with all these rules tattooed on our bodies. I just happen to believe that a lot of us are more capable than you and Mr. Angry give us credit for. And, in the end, it’s our choice. Just as the right to bear arms is your choice. (Which “right” is really more dangerous?)
I think it boils down to bucks. There’s a lot more profit in prescriptions than in over-the-counter meds.
Andi, I agree-it can be frustrating to see people abusing the system, especially if you’ve scrimped and saved all your life….
Dam,
That’s when my republican side (the side I keep locked in a closet) tries to come out. How much should we help people who abuse the system or make really stupid choices for stupid reasons?
The thing of it is, we have to help those people too. We can not “throw the baby out with the bathwater”. Too many people would lose chances they deserve if we tried to crack down too hard on those who don’t “deserve” the system.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this exchange. This is the first cordial exchange I’ve ever participated in…for some reason I (or the other dude) get a little hostile…:-)
I don’t have much more to add, but I have to rebut a few things I just read…
“if you can put guns in the hands of all those stupid people you mention, then why the hell CAN’T they decide which drugs they should or should not take.”
….
“I just happen to believe that a lot of us are more capable than you and Mr. Angry give us credit for. And, in the end, it’s our choice. Just as the right to bear arms is your choice. Which “right” is really more dangerous?”
I get what you’re saying here. I understand that you are probably not a fan of the steel. With a gun, I can hurt others. In your scenario of picking and choosing your own drugs, I can only hurt myself….unless, I use those drugs on other people, which will eventually happen. Someone gives the right combo to an unsuspecting female (even non-narc meds), and we have date-rape city.
And to be honest, a gun is a very simple thing. You point it at what you want to die. Medicines have very complex mechanisms and human physiology is very intricate. The repercussions are much more difficult than a simple machine — like a gun. Guns don’t operate on evidence, algorithms, or anecdotal evidence. Guns are black and white.
Comparing guns and medicine is not apples and oranges — it’s apples and basketballs…
Guns cannot effectively kill the entire world. Antibiotics eventually can…err…will.
———–
“Other countries do not have these restrictions-they do not say “our citizens are too stupid to choose for themselves.” ”
Ahh, you must be talking about Mexico where you can walk in the La farmacia and pick out whatever you want…
That sounds like a great idea…I dare you to drink their water. What’s that? You won’t? Ohh…:-)
Honestly though, are you really willing to compare the quality of life there to here? Or anywhere to here?
Dave, There will always, always, always be those who we (collectively, that is) feel don’t deserve a hand. And it may be true.
Here’s another side: A friend of mine runs a homeless shelter for our county. She has people who give, but they give with strings attached. At Christmas, for example, people want to bring gifts they picked out rather than gift cards or requested items from the homeless. (I admit, some of the requests are a little out there for people in hard places–such as jewlery, designer clothing, etc.) The public wants to help on “their terms” she says. They think that a homeless teen doesn’t deserve a pair of $100 Nike shoes. Or, they use giving as a lesson for their kids to show how others live. So that’s an interesting idea, too. Do we give what we think people need or just give without judgment, without strings?
Another thing I’d like to add to the list and teach my kids (and do) is that they don’t feel entitled–not to support from me or the gov’t or any other entity. They are responsible for themselves.
Yes, Mexico would be one, but I was actually thinking of Italy. A great deal of the medications (that would need a prescription here) you can just ask the pharmacist. At least, when I was there.
I do understand your argument that drugs are more complex than guns. However, “guns don’t operate on evidence, algorithms, or anedotal evidence,” is part of the reason why I think individuals should have more of a say in writing their own prescripts. At least in theory– I realize there are a lot of incompetent people (the idea being they would seek a doctor’s advice first). Doctors are pretty clueless a lot of them times. I subscribe to Medscape. So many of their studies are contradictory. I’m sure you know how incompetent drs. can sometimes be (out of negligence, hastiness or whatever…)
Unfortunately, date rape meds are availalbe now. It’s the person, not access to a pill, that we have to worry about.
It’s been nice talking to you Mr. Angry. And your blog is interesting. I’ll keep reading so that I can understand why we don’t want most folks deciding for themselves…
I’ll keep reading so that I can understand why we don’t want most folks deciding for themselves…
Because most people are not very smart. As the late, great George Carlin said, “You think about how stupid the average person is, and then you realize that half the people on Earth are stupider than that… there’s a whole lot of stupid motherf—ers out there!”
I’m graduating from pharm school in May and I’ve spent some time in the retail trenches. I’ve had patients who’ve been taking the same drug for years and don’t have a clue what it’s for or what the dose is. (And are totally appalled at the suggestion that they should… silly me, it’s only YOUR BODY you’re putting this stuff into…) I’ve talked to people who don’t understand the difference between 12-hour and 24-hour Claritin. I’ve talked to people who think “sexually active” means “having sex right now.” I’ve had patients who just stare at me blankly when I say, “Your insurance doesn’t work. Do you have a new card?” (Yes, they spoke English.) And then of course, there are the legions who don’t understand why antibiotics, which are for BACTERIAL infections, don’t work on a cold, which is a VIRUS… even some of my college-educated friends don’t believe me on that one! Stuff like this happens every day in retail pharmacy.
And you think these people should decide for themselves what drugs they should take??? Forget it! I’m all for allowing people to make their own decisions, but it has to be an informed decision – otherwise we get more harm than good. Sadly, most Americans are very ill-informed. And even worse, a lot of them want to remain that way.
This is true.
My son’s mommy is a pharmacist and she hates working retail for the reasons mentioned above.
Dave, Because she is a pharmacist, is she more reluctant to give your son certain types of meds? Just curious.
Deb,
Actually, she loves medications. =) She knows exactly what dosage to give our son and how often. If he has a cough, fever, etc she always knows whats best to get him….she makes me look like an idiot when it comes to medicine. =)
Sometimes she’ll try and explain to me why certain medications are bad or why some are harder on your body than others. She seems to have a really great sense of how to balance the cost of the medication (side effects, stress on the body) versus the benefits.
That’s great, Dave!!! Sure makes it easier when your son is sick!
Isn’t Italy swimming in their own trash right now due to being under mob rule? Can you really use them as a shining example?
HAHAHA!
They can just do what the french do….sprinkle perfume on it. =D
Yes, parts of Italy are “swimming” in trash. But let me see….where should we start in the U.S.? Because, honestly, some of our cities, roads, waterways are just as bad, if not worse.
Whoever wrote this post is a moron. Raising kids as independent logical thinkers. Too bad this post doesn’t have any logic in it. I doubt the logical kids thing is going that well either.
Hey! I’m the “moron.” Thanks for your comment. I welcome you to write more. “Raising kids as independent logical thinkers.” This is a sentence fragment and doesn’t convey your thoughts. Help me out here-what don’t you understand?
I have been working in a pharmacy since the day I started pharmacy school. That is almost 4 years. In these few years I really don’t know how some people survive from day to day. I am an avid reader of TAP and when he posted about this article I decided to read it. Some very interesting points from a non-health care professional were brought up, some that would never work and a few that would be worth looking at. I will say this, if I was big Pharma company putting a decade of research funding a project that in turn costs me billions of dollars, I would want to be well compensated for my discovery. Yes the drug should cost that much b/c in 10 to 20 years that drug will be off patent and the company will not make money on it anymore and itself will probably start making the generic.
Here’s something I found a little funny. I previous poster said something along the lines of its life or death insurance should be a right. Well guess what, everyone in this country has the right to purchase insurance, so you see you do have the right to have insurance so pay the money. I’ve heard plenty of guilt trips from people and have seen people (like my grandparents) forking out $4,000 dollars a month for chemo, my grandparents were self-employed as farmers, they didn’t make much money and the money they did make was stuck back into the business. So you see, they had the right to insurance and knew it was life or death and guess what they chose life and my grandma lived for 15 more years. Yes they cut back and lived on the bare essentials, never had a new car, never had a huge fancy house.
The problem here is not insurance and the cost of medication it is the mentality. If people in this country lived within their means and rolled with the punches we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation. Yes medications would still be expensive, but if said person didn’t have a $1000 house payment and a $800 car payment each month then that $200 advair diskus doesn’t look so bad.
The bottom line is you cannot please everyone. If we had a system like Canada does, then the people who are sick all the time wouldn’t like it b/c they would spend more time waiting on the government to approve procedures. Yes the majority of the people would like it b/c it would be set up to make their lives easier, but the people that really need the help would have to wait.
Jason, I agree with you that many (not all) Americans do not live within their means. However, I DISAGREE that our cost of medications would be a reasonable expense if we were not encumbered with debt.” Here’s why: In 2008, the average hourly wage for an American worker (according to our Bureau of Labor Stats) is $18.05/hour. Advair cost $200, as you know. It would take the average American 11.08 hours to earn enough for ONE prescription! That is nuts.
I don’t begrude big pharma it’s profits. I’m saying it’s too greedy.
Not only that-something that I didn’t say, but totally believe–the body is designed to heal itself. Only in rare circumstances do we REALLY need meds. Most colds, sinus infections, stomach viruses (especially), don’t need medications.
I’m a pharmacist. Let me set the record clear on advertising, which most pharmacist consider inappropriate.
Back when I started pharmacy (1975), direct to consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies was prohibited by law. The congress of the USA decided in its infinite wisdom that the consumer had a “right to Know’. Never mind that they are now educated in pharmacology and thus are generally not able to make an informed decision about medications.
So, congress authorized the direct to consumer advertising and the competition began. And, by the way, it works. Patients now ask for drugs, not really knowing whether they are appropriate or not, but that is another issue.
Money that would be much better spent on R & D is being diverted to advertising and the consumer ultimately pays the price.
Another glowing example of what happens when the uninformed members of congress act in the public’s “Best Interest”
I want you to come to work with me for a few days…or go to work with any member of the healthcare profession, for that matter. I think that if you did that, you’d see that your statement of “I just happen to believe that a lot of us are more capable than you and Mr. Angry give us credit for” is, from my viewpoint, just not the case.
I see people who are unable to follow verbal directions from their physician, verbal AND written directions from their pharmacist and who cannot tell me WHAT medication they’re taking or WHY they’re taking it. I say “Do you have any medical conditions?” and they say “No”. I say “Are you taking any medications” and they say “yes, a blood pressure pill”. I say “But you said you didn’t have any medical conditions when you do; you’re taking a pill to control your blood pressure. Do you have high blood pressure?” and they say “No, I don’t have high blood pressure because I take a pill.” *sigh* You wouldn’t believe the things I (we) see and hear, and I (we) see and hear them every day from all kinds of people; folks from different cultures and classes and education levels. It’s not just ONE demographic, is what I’m trying to say. It’s a nationwide problem.
Long story short, I say that a lot of people are LESS capable that you’re giving them credit for.
Oh, and whilst the UK DOES have more medication available over the counter, the Tort laws make it much more difficult for people to sue. So, you don’t hear much about people suing drug manufacturers, you just hear about people dying from accidental overdoses or drug induced hapatic/renal/pulmonary/cardiac failure instead. (I lived in England for 20 years, in case you were wondering).
Thank you for respectfully disagreeing. Your comments are intersting. It must be difficult working with the public, day in and day out. I imagine (like police officers) you have a ton of stories to tell. (As a writer, I love to hear them.)
If people are not capable of communicating (and knowing) such simple things as what type of meds they are on and their health conditions, then what else are they not capable of? It’s a scary thought. We allow these people to drink alcohol. We allow these people to talk on the phone WHILE they drive. There are many other things, too….
Actually, Mayreau, I completely agree with you:
The money spent on advertising is crazy. These ED drugs are branded like Coca-Cola. Everyone knows about them (and I don’t even watch TV).
There are more appropriate ways of educating patients. Also, I’m sure the doctors don’t like patients coming in demanding, Brand X.
–They think that a homeless teen doesn’t deserve a pair of $100 Nike shoes.–
I don’t think anyone deserves a $100 pair of shoes (unless they have foot problems and need to have custom designed shoes.) Good shoes do not cost that much. Seriously, if I was presented with a list with items like that I would ignore it and buy more practical items. I wouldn’t spend $100 on a pair of shoes for my own children, so if I am giving $100 to give to a homeless shelter, it is going to be in practical items, not a single pair of $100.00 shoes. Some (although certainly not all) people are homeless because they are clueless about budgeting and financing–feeding their fantasies with inappropriate gifts is not helpful, in my opinion.
Here is my favorite explanation of the health care system. (No it isn’t the only one, and there are a couple that I have seen that feel differently. However, this one is comprehensive and explains what seems to be the general consensus.) http://netstormcanada.blogspot.com/2004/11/canadian-versus-american-health-care.html
Thanks for the interesting link, Terra. So much I agree with. I love this: “It is a mark of a civilization’s progress when even the weakest are protected.”