[Moneyguy1]

OK...and just how much research done by the Center for Disease Control has been turned over to the Pharm industry and hence turned into profits?

Sorry, guys, most medicine advances are simply variations on a theme, a modification of existing technology, or the result of promotions making some diseases appear worse than they really are. Before there was Prilosec, did anyone ever hear of the disease? And how did our ancestors handle common heartburn? I know this may not be the best example, but just sit in front of the TV and note the number of "cures" out there that the public has been led to believe are necessary for mental/physical well being? And while you are at it, also note the potential side effects of some which read like being worse than the disease itself. Many medications such as Zoloft, simply mask what may be a far more serious problem.

I am not one for taking anything that is unnecessary. In fact, I tend to avoid Doctors like the plague. When I do visit one, it had better damn well be something non trivial. Sure, there are reasons for increases in medical care costs, but I am convinced that part of the cause are those gullible and paranoid individuals that trot off to the HMO for even a hangnail, lest it get infected and cause gangrene. Over prescription and ignorance of the limitations in medicine lead to problems that result in lawsuits, rewards and additional costs.

An occasional discomfort is to be expected; our bodies are complex machines. Leave the medical profession to serve those truly in need; put a band-aid on that blister and go on with your life. And do not expect miracles from medicine. We all ultimately die.