Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Lee
They don't invent drugs. And they don't research how to make them and then gift that info to a pharma co.
A lot of the reason drugs cost so much to bring to market is gov't. regulations. But the gen. public never has a problem with that. They only care about the evil pharma cos. that make money on the drugs they steer through the process and then have to charge a lot of money to recoup their investment and move on to the next invention.
If you're willing to force people to work for free, don't be surprised when the product you get from them is worthless.
|
Rick:
You are quite wrong on this one. When I was in grad school at Vanderbilt the folks across the way were doing the COX2 inhibitor studies. That was researched and developed to trials at a university.
Most Pharma only carries a drug the last mile (phase II/III clinical trials). One should also note that the role of government has been reduced in clinical trials to overseer. Pharma pays its way anymore.
I have two issues with Pharma as it exists:
1. Why is SO much money spent on sales reps and selling to Drs?
2. The industry has shifted from cure to band aid. Drugs like Lipitor or the proton pump inhibitors. Rather than target the feedback loop to regulate the issue like the body would, its about blocking a specific protein.
It does cost money to do trials...but you do know why, right? Its the whole reason the FDA exists. Somebody way back when sold tainted sulfa drugs along with folks selling drugs with no efficacy... Snake oil. People died. So society 'decided' that cavat emptor doesn't belong with medications. IMHO, you should be able to buy a drug and expect it to have a reasonable chance to work for you (everyone is different, so its not 100%) AND not have the drug kill you cause its not 'pure'. Hell, for some compounds the R stereoisomer is cure and the S is kill.
So I have to ask, should it be cavat emptor for drugs? We give tax incentives for a company to make orphan drugs. Sometimes that is not enough. Is it then ok for the government to make it so its available? Should drugs be pulled when an issue arises?
For the last one, it burns me that the COX2 stuff got pulled for a measly 1000 or so deaths given billion or so doses taken. It was a great drug. Hell, that many folks kill themselves from ibuprofen poisoning every year... Look at the idiots that pulled Thalymide. Awesome drug for Leprosy. Not so much for nausea when pregnant.