Pharmaceutical companies. The true terrorists of the US?

[Trainwreck2100]

Pharm companies are a basic example of capitalism. I remember once this guy hd cancer and they pulled the only drug that helped him, because it wasn't turning a profit.

 

[hotmail]

Pharm companies are a basic example of capitalism. I remember once this guy hd cancer and they pulled the only drug that helped him, because it wasn't turning a profit.

Should the Pharms risk going out of business over one guy?

 

[Golgo-13]

Not to take the thread too far off topic with an issue we've discussed to death already but...would you want to cure AIDS and cancer? Think about it before you answer.

I have a feeling that your going somewhere with that question. Enlighten us.

Are you thinking that if AIDS is cured then ppl will then suddenly have an excuse to **** each other brains out with no fear of consequences..?

 

[Trainwreck2100]

Should the Pharms risk going out of business over one guy?

I believe I brought up that it was firm capitalism so what's your point. Honestly i doubt he was the only guy it was helping anyway.

 

[echostation]

Cure for cancer right now? Impossible, not even in the next 10 years for most kinds... There are some terrific therapies out there currently like Tamoxifen for breast cancer and in general irradiation (much like Lance Armstrong's seminoma where he had multiple brain mets and extra-testicular mets... 98% of people in that situation would be ****ed, but with radiation he made it out).

The problem is the etiology of cancer is still ultimately unknown, on going autoimmune processes to diet to genes... so many bloody things affect it for one thing. Also, cancers sometimes have the most unpredictable mets out there so there's no way you're gonna cure some of these cancers in the next few upcoming years. For now the only real thing to do is to try to be preventative -- ie pollution control and try to minimize things that will accumulate and **** around with your genes and cause mutations to allow for clonal cell proliferations -- ie... Tumor. The problem with chemotherapy drugs and radiation is that often times they don't make a distinction between cancer cells and "normal cells."

AIDS -- most people don't DIE from AIDS.. .they die from **** like Pneumocystis lung infections, TB, toxoplasma... the big deal here is while anti-viral research is on going... concurrent research on how to exactly boost the body's T-cells (which are the immune cells killed off in this disease) is also extremely necessary even if it just means buying time... at least that way an AIDS patient might be able to live 20 years longer than on triple therapy or AZT.

HIV sucks in that it like most viruses uses host antigens and DNA to resynthesize itself again. So if you give someone a heat-killed HIV vaccine it will be useless... why? because in actual live HIV on going infections, the virus constantly changes its protein coat antigens and DNA and constituents using a mix of mutations and host cell machinery... It's like a ****ing snake/chameleon in a way... it is always able to constantly shed a coat and move on and shed another and move on and the body has no way to keep up with it. Scientists are trying their best... but unlike Anti-bacterials like penecillin which have a direct specific point of action and work to this day in eliminating tons of bacteria... there are no real specific profound Anti-virals out there that will constantly knock of viruses cuz Viruses constantly change their coat (sure we have neuramidase inhibitors for Influenza/Flu... but ultimately it's in the clear minority relative to antibiotics)

 

[hotmail]

I believe I brought up that it was firm capitalism so what's your point. Honestly i doubt he was the only guy it was helping anyway.

Perhaps not, but if it's only a comparatively few people, it's going to cost thousands of dollars per pill to deliver.

That's money that could be better spent elsewhere.

 

[CyberFaust]

pharmaceutical companies are evil.

 

[Immortalfire]

Several area doctors I know very well, don't think the medical world has any interest at all in curing AIDS and cancer. Not one bit.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

So my question is this: Do you think that scientists are really trying to cure these diseases, knowing what's at stake, and how much money will be lost if they do?......

Interesting question.I think scientists are doing their best to cure,and treat people.But getting that medicine to the people who need it..there is the problem.Selling the medicine,that`s the money.They have the medicine,you have to pay whatever they say to get the medicine.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I have a feeling that your going somewhere with that question. Enlighten us.

Are you thinking that if AIDS is cured then ppl will then suddenly have an excuse to **** each other brains out with no fear of consequences..?

Haha no. I was thinking more along the lines of population control and balance.

 

[Asgard]

I dont know if I would call pharmaceutical companies terrorists, but I will say that some of them will do anything for a buck, even if it means the eventual suffering of thousands.

Case in point, the Bayer company was accused of knowingly selling HIV infected medication to people in Japan, France, and Spain. The FDA made sure that they could not sell the stuff in the US, so instead of scrapping the drug and lose millions, they decide to sell it overseas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS3mhjt7TrY

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/22/health/main555154.shtml

 

[SoulManX]

I dont know if I would call pharmaceutical companies terrorists, but I will say that some of them will do anything for a buck, even if it means the eventual suffering of thousands.

Case in point, the Bayer company was accused of knowingly selling HIV infected medication to people in Japan, France, and Spain. The FDA made sure that they could not sell the stuff in the US, so instead of scrapping the drug and lose millions, they decide to sell it overseas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS3mhjt7TrY

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/22/health/main555154.shtml

You know that would be a smart way to get rid of a country u don't like.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

Another thing pharmaceutical companies do that it's on the verge of morality is finding out new diseases that they luckily have the cure for. Like the Attention Deficit Disorder in children and the Ritalin (that's a dangerous drug that alters personality and cause addiction).

 

[primemover]

A lot of conspiracy theorists around here, but I doubt any of you know enough about medicine, science, finance, sociology and politics to even come close to making any conclusions about this all.

The most you can do is find anecdotal evidence and draw broad and mostly ignorant conclusions because you are too incredulous to know anything else.

The fact is pharmaceutical companies are businesses, expect them to do business-like things to ensure their success for themselves and their investors. But I am guessing you expect these people to go to school for a decade or more and then work tirelessly to cure the worlds disease for nothing more than the knowledge of doing so? Altruism is great and all, but most of the time it's not a valid financial strategy. Before you throw stones, you have to ask yourself what YOU are doing for others.

Another thing too, many advancements in medicines have come about by these reviled pharmacuetical companies, things that were only possible by the profits from other, probably less meaningful medicines, but for some reason those are always ignored.

 

[echostation]

or actually believe in facts such as what i wrote cuz i do have a slight idea of what i'm talking about when it comes to this sort of ****

 

[Golgo-13]

A lot of conspiracy theorists around here, but I doubt any of you know enough about medicine, science, finance, sociology and politics to even come close to making any conclusions about this all.

The most you can do is find anecdotal evidence and draw broad and mostly ignorant conclusions because you are too incredulous to know anything else.

The fact is pharmaceutical companies are businesses, expect them to do business-like things to ensure their success for themselves and their investors. But I am guessing you expect these people to go to school for a decade or more and then work tirelessly to cure the worlds disease for nothing more than the knowledge of doing so? Altruism is great and all, but most of the time it's not a valid financial strategy. Before you throw stones, you have to ask yourself what YOU are doing for others.

Another thing too, many advancements in medicines have come about by these reviled pharmacuetical companies, things that were only possible by the profits from other, probably less meaningful medicines, but for some reason those are always ignored.

I respect your opinion but you are truly misguided in stating that ppl like you and i, who aren't in the fields you menitioned don't have enough common sense to know somethings aray with the way the world of medicine/cure/Pharmaceutical companies, work.

 

[I_Hate_U_All]

I think for the most part, that we live in a toxic society. I mean, pollution for one, and look at all this technology crap, it's everywhere. It's not uncommon for kids to be on computers, playing videogames, watching tv, listing to an Ipod, It can't be healthy. Plus all the and the food. Like milk for example, Isn't it still legal for farmers to stick growth hormones in the cattle still? Depression only really seems to effect well developed countries. I read somewhere that it's one of the most debilating "disease" in...developed countries. :/

I think it's because most people in developed civilizations have lost their faith in God.

Say what you want about Religion, but it's powerful stuff... imo more powerful than any anti-sadness drug.

 

[primemover]

I respect your opinion but you are truly misguided in stating that ppl like you and i, who aren't in the fields you menitioned don't have enough common sense to know somethings aray with the way the world of medicine/cure/Pharmaceutical companies, work.

You do? So what what are you qualifications and experience on the matter?

 

[onejeremytogo]

Cancer is a highly complex disease with many causes and the AIDS virus has proven to be incredibly fast in its ability to evolve, so neither is an easy disease to cure.

Progress is being made and if a real cure were ever developed the Pharms would make untold billions, so its within their best interest to find cures.

No my friend...it would NOT be in their best interest to find a cure. Think of it this way..
You have 10 people with AIDS paying 10 bucks a month for medication. Each person will be paying that 10 bucks a month for roughly 15 years. Thats 1800 per person. Now if you were to give them a cure for 300 bucks....and they would never need it again...where's the money in that?They would LOSE untold billions. My belief..they already have a cure. They just have it under lock and key. And since they are the ones who created the disease to begin with..they are not giving it up.

Another point that comes to mind is the side effects. When you take drugs here's what happens.

You have a toothache so you take a tylenol...tylenol causes kidney damage so you take meds for that...the kidney meds cause sexual side effects so you take pills for then...the sexual pills causes high blood pressure so now you're on meds for that..the high blood pressure causes lost sleep so now you're on ambien....THEY ARE GETTING RICH because you had a toothache and instead of taking an herbal substance such as one of the many banned ones out there you take tylenol and fall into the cycle of bad health and giving your money to drug companies..I work in the health field....they are scamming us.

 

[onejeremytogo]

Cancer is a highly complex disease with many causes and the AIDS virus has proven to be incredibly fast in its ability to evolve, so neither is an easy disease to cure.

Progress is being made and if a real cure were ever developed the Pharms would make untold billions, so its within their best interest to find cures.

No my friend...it would NOT be in their best interest to find a cure. Think of it this way..
You have 10 people with AIDS paying 10 bucks a month for medication. Each person will be paying that 10 bucks a month for roughly 15 years. Thats 1800 per person. Now if you were to give them a cure for 300 bucks....and they would never need it again...where's the money in that?They would LOSE untold billions. My belief..they already have a cure. They just have it under lock and key. And since they are the ones who created the disease to begin with..they are not giving it up.

Another point that comes to mind is the side effects. When you take drugs here's what happens.

You have a toothache so you take a tylenol...tylenol causes kidney damage so you take meds for that...the kidney meds cause sexual side effects so you take pills for then...the sexual pills causes high blood pressure so now you're on meds for that..the high blood pressure causes lost sleep so now you're on ambien....THEY ARE GETTING RICH because you had a toothache and instead of taking an herbal substance such as one of the many banned ones out there you take tylenol and fall into the cycle of bad health and giving your money to drug companies..I work in the health field....they are scamming us.

 

[Golgo-13]

You do? So what what are you qualifications and experience on the matter?

If i say i respect your opinion i do; i just don't agree with it. I think i stated it before, a person doesn't have to have any qualifications or expertise in a certain field to know somethings up. Sometimes all it takes is plain old common sense. But just because you asked, i'm on several medications that i have to take daily because i had a Kidney Transplant a few years back, so as far as the drug companies policies are concerned, you could say i have a vaild vested interest in the way they operate.

 

[primemover]

If i say i respect your opinion i do; i just don't agree with it. I think i stated it before, a person doesn't have to have any qualifications or expertise in a certain field to know somethings up. Sometimes all it takes is plain old common sense. But just because you asked, i'm on several medications that i have to take daily because i had a Kidney Transplant a few years back, so as far as the drug companies policies are concerned, you could say i have a vaild vested interest in the way they operate.

A valid interest, yes, but knowledge, no.

In my eyes, until you know a great deal about medicine, business, politics, science and the inner workings of what goes on in those industries, you can't make a valid judgement.

Anything else just reeks of rebellion and agenda.