What Happens When Government Runs Health Care
This Reuters story bemoans the fact that Chinese AIDS patients cannot get the good drugs, leaving the reader to wonder why until the end of the story when they state:
Earlier in the story we are told of one patient paying around $19,000 per year to receive the same drugs from clandestine sources. Wouldn't this patient be thrilled to pay $1,000 for a year's course?
Following the disclosure that the drugs are not available because of a stalemate between Abbott and the Chinese government, we are told to blame Abbott:
Let's be clear: RUETERS is source of this story, not the Chinese government. Astounding.
Sources told Reuters that [drug manufacturer] Abbott is asking US$1,000 for a full-year course but the Chinese government is unwilling to pay more than US$400.
Earlier in the story we are told of one patient paying around $19,000 per year to receive the same drugs from clandestine sources. Wouldn't this patient be thrilled to pay $1,000 for a year's course?
Following the disclosure that the drugs are not available because of a stalemate between Abbott and the Chinese government, we are told to blame Abbott:
"In my opinion they are abusing their monopoly," said Moon. "They are abusing the patent rights they have by refusing to supply a life-saving medicine to a population that needs it."
Let's be clear: RUETERS is source of this story, not the Chinese government. Astounding.
posted by Scribbler de Stebbing | 8/15/2006 10:53:00 AM
The news on China's enviable health care system continues today with a story about deaths, one of a 6-year-old girl, and illnesses blamed on poor government regulation of its approved drug manufacturers.
I can't wait for the US to have a completely government-run health care system. We're getting closer all the time, and our governor is headed down that path by calling for a ban on pharmaceutical advertising. Why should there be free speech of an industry that should be government-controlled anyways? (Except sports stadiums. Government sponsored sport stadia, being essential to government function, can promote themselves all they'd like. Why? Because Comrade Pawlenty said so. But I'm getting slightly off-topic.)
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