60 Minutes tonight!

[MaryBear]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/08/60minutes/main828098.shtml

[skooooo]

1. If you're interested in this topic..

..check out the new movie "Constant Gardner." It's on at the theaters now. Of course its a movie based on a fictional novel, but it focuses on a scenario where big drug companies plot and plan without regard to the human toll just to make huge profits.

[MaryBear]

3. For those with Parkinson's, this is critical!

Please watch this show tonight and then take action. Write to Amgen. And others! I can provide a list of contacts in another post.

[MaryBear]

5. Here's a link for follow up.

http://www.nwpf.com/articles.asp?id=1428

[barb162]

4. Just saw it and would highly recommend it

[magnolia]

6. I'll be sure to watch.

"...scenario where big drug companies plot and plan without regard to the human toll just to make huge profits."

That's not fiction.

[MaryBear]

7. For sure.

[Radio_Lady]

14. The new movie "The Constant Gardener" has a similar theme --

about the trials of drugs in the African country of Kenya.

Very interesting and touching movie.

[MaryBear]

2. Not sure I understand everything about this move.

I guess the info is not breaking news -- although it is timely since the show is happening today.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. The failure of the free market in an age of corporate largesse

Perhaps the government should buy the drug and force the company to sell if necessary. And then it should find a permanent place in reseach and development in order to develop and distribute drugs to those who need them.

The goal should be to get the drug on the market and treat the disease.

This provides a very good argument that there are some things that government can do better than private industry. Good examples are the delivery of water and power, the postal system and health care. This would appear to be a instance where the free market has failed consumers. Instead of defending the free market as the be all and end all of civil society, we might want to entertain the notion that health care is too important is too important to be left to a free market that suffers from a lack of competition due to corporate largesse.

People who suffer from Parkinson Disease may benefit from this drug and, assuming that it is safe and effective, shouldn't be denied it because Amgen won't make a profit from it. That may be good business, but it's bad medicine and poor public policy.

Private industry works best when business are small and competitive. The competition in the market place among businesses fosters better service and innovation and has been the raison d'etre of capitalism. In such an environment, the government would do more harm than good intervening in the market place. Of course, in such an environment, if Amgen can't produce a drug that would benefit those with Parkinson's Disease and find a profitable way to market it, somebody else probably will.

In an age of corporate largesse, there isn't enough competition to justify laissez faire policies. Corporations don't need to compete if there are only a handful of them that control the market. In that kind of environment, the businesses don't need to concern themselves about providing the best product to their customers because consumers either take what they provide or go without. A competitor with a better mouse trap can be bought out by a large corporation, which will then make the decision whether it can be profitably marketed. In this way, corporate largesse works against competition and innovation while continuing to promote such virtues as their raison d'etre.

[badger1080]

10. huh?

what are you talking about? This has nothing to do with the free markets or competition. According to the article they aren't selling because they don't think it's safe enough and don't want to be sued. The only reason the drug wouldn't be profitable is because the company fears they would get hit with a Vioxx verdict. They govt likely wouldn't provide the drug either.

We can't complain when companies put a dangerous drug on the market and then complain also when they don't.

[MaryBear]

11. This is different.

The clinical trial participants are willing to sign a waiver in order to continue taking this drug. It has made such a difference in their lives that they are willing to take a huge risk just to have some quality of life.

The company has a new patent for a different version of same thing. Ask them to keep these people in the loop!

[I_Make_Mistakes]

13. Think flu shots also! And antibiotics! I agree full-heartedly with

you!

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Kick

:bounce:

[Ladyhawk]

12. Kick again. n/t