Comments on: Robert Reich Assails Obama Deal with Big Pharma as ‘Assault on Democracy’

By: bayareavoter

bayareavoter — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:35:07 +0000

I totally agree–get rid of drug advertising on tv! I’m with you–they do spend a lot on research and deserve to run a profitable business.

We subsidized tobacco farmers and oil companies for years–why not make a deal where the drug companies can make their profit but we help subsidize research or something that makes drugs more affordable?

By: Katmoon

Katmoon — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:08:50 +0000

I agree, concur and know first hand being dependent on medications for my RA. I began a voluntary study in June for a new drug for RA. Because of my ethnicity, and being new to the RA drug regime, I was a perfect candidate. Also my current meds were not helping any longer; my hands wouldn’t open, my feet were unable to bend, not fun. I had a choice to up to a biometric(Humera) I think beyond co-pay without “help” from a benevolent source(there are some which would make it a 5.00 extra payment for shipping), was $12,000.00. Yes, that did partially affect my decision, but more-so, I knew it was important to have the trials done, to help others in the future. No one, not my doctor, or anyone affiliated from my end makes any money off of this. Will the drug companies make money if enough people do this study and it works? I am sure they will. It is double-blind, regarding placebo vs. real thing, but guaranteed at 6 months into the trial to get the real thing.

These were my choices, I could have gone to the next level at a cost of only 5.00; Am I advocating for the big Pharms, No, just know sometimes people make decisions based on what a future outcome may be for others. I believe I am still on a placebo, as I have seen no change. Again, it is worth the risk to see if this can create a drug to help others. When you have a chronic condition the choices become slimmer. Genetics can also play a role, where there is no fault, just the way nature creates some of our genes.
There are a very small group of subset companies and organizations that make the best effort they can to help patients, the big pharms “donate” time, equipment and goods to them a tax write-offs; the sad truth is, as long as there are disease processes that destroy a person’s ability to remain independent, someone(most of the corps.) will scheme to make as much money as they can. At least I tried to help myself, and others, and hope I don’t have to give in to the next level of drugs, as eventually they will not work either.

By: maryann

maryann — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:29:32 +0000

They never sit down to a real debate and they sit amongst themselves all self-congratulatory that they are the elite intellectuals above the chattering classes. Sadly delusional.

By: maryann

maryann — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:26:30 +0000

Exactly. Punked? More like they had their head up their ass and were high on koolaid and now that the honeymoon is over they have no one to blame but themselves.
I’m SURE they had to have heard the warnings:
Muslim, Anti-American, Radical Marxist, Incited Genocide, Broke Tax Laws, Hidden Past…all ridiculed, all turned out to be true

Oh well…if it makes them feel better, yes sweetie you were given a raw deal! They lied to you! How could you have possibly known?

By: maryann

maryann — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:22:29 +0000

This is why the president should never profit from prescriptions.

By: maryann

maryann — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:20:31 +0000

This is why docs should never profit from a prescription.

By: maryann

maryann — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:18:55 +0000

I’m a pharmacist– I wouldn’t chastise the whole profession, really many people function strictly because of our drug arsenal, especially when it comes to truly lifesaving drugs, the new gene transcription chemos (I’m very hopeful about this new class), the antinauseants, pain meds truly impart real benefit, anesthetics, antibiotics, antivirals, antirejection…there’s a lot of drivel but the buffer between prescriber and patient is supposed to reduce the use of bad drugs — MJ wouldn’t be dead if the proper hierarchy and algorithm had been in place.

By: bho boo

bho boo — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:46:44 +0000

I’ll cut more slack to a sensible bailing rat than to those who feign surprise as they go under and beg for our mercy.

By: Fredster

Fredster — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:45:13 +0000

Well I’m so confused. Here’s a link that also goes line by line answering some of the confusion about the bill.

http://tinyurl.com/nnkuuv

that’s one’s from the govt committee on education and labor

Here’s one from the St. Petersburg Times which discusses an email circulating about the proposed bill.

http://tinyurl.com/n7v4jy

By: carol haka

carol haka — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:16:48 +0000

Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, isn’t the economy scary enough without seeing a routine photo of a “hideously angry” MO????????

CAROL HAKA

By: Scout

Scout — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:28:26 +0000

The bill can be read at opencongress.org. Look for HR 3200.

While you’re there, you might want to peruse HR 676. That’s the real universal health coverage bill, and it’s about half as long as HR 3200. HR 676 has 86 cosponsors but Harry Reid says they won’t let it go for a vote because it doesn’t have enough support. HR 3200 has 8 cosponsors and B0 wants it, so it’s full steam ahead.

First they sold us out to the financial institutions, now they’re selling us out to the insurers.

How many times will this president and congress sell us????

By: Diana L. C.

Diana L. C. — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:57:00 +0000

By not being included, they get a free ride, in a sense. What American hospital is going to be able to simply turn sick or injured people away? We have now a system of hospitals that must take all patients? Where is that addressed? Who is going to pay for them?

Oh, I know. We are.

By: don tufts

don tufts — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:28:18 +0000

a doctor in indianapolis steven fraser posted this list earlier with the page and line numbers.
i called his office [you can find him if you look ] and spoke to his billing mgr and thanked him for the letter .turns out he has read the entire bill and summerised for us lay people to understand.

By: Donna Brazile

Donna Brazile — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:46:50 +0000

The Donna Brazilian all time favorite:

“Let me be clear….”

As if you need to state the obvious…

Stop the lecturefest!

By: Up

Up — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:42:04 +0000

illegal immigrants are not included in any of the five bills… where did you get that?

See:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/0522DNBUShealthcare.25377b8.html

so much misinformation on NQ about what is actually being proposed with healthcare reform.