A Pill is All I Need

Today I am posting a paper that I wrote in grad school not too long ago. I came across it as I was trying to clean out some of my word documents. It is not my best writing and though it appears to be a response to a reading we were required to do, I seem to be addressing two separate issues. They are pharmaceutical companies and providing aid to other countries. This was written during the Bush Administration era when many strings were tied to our giving. Any way, there are a few cogent points in the rhetoric and so I will share it.



“Not to worry, we’ve got a pill for that.”

I feel that the price of drugs is related to our dependence on them and has a lot to do with insurance companies brokering deals with big pharm companies. I think there is a lot of wheeling and dealing going on. The problem, as I see it, is what I refer to as “the pilling of America.” I have much doubt that big Pharma will ever reduce the price of prescriptions but I do feel some efforts by politicians to allow importation and to list retail prices in pharmacies (NY) can be helpful to discerning and Internet savvy persons. (I find it ironic that it is okay for our pills to be manufactured out of the country, but not purchased from out of the country. I find laughable the argument that only WE can make safe drugs. Were this the case, wouldn’t Europeans, et al be falling dead every day from their pill popping?”)

I do not believe that prescription drug prices will be reduced enough to make them affordable and I see no incentive to the pharmaceutical companies. I appreciate that they do provide some free meds, but I abhor their tactics and I SEE their tactics every day at the hospital. In fact a current ad running in the paper regards a cardiologist, “ I have studied the heart for most of my life, I trust mine to Lipitor.” Wrong message.
I feel the issue is working with (other) corporations to help fund prevention programs. They can boost their reputation and sales with health promoting products, i.e without excess sugar, fat and calories. Some already advocate exercise and should continue to do so, as that cardiologist above would be wise to consider.

We as a nation are not taking seriously the notion that chronic disease can be prevented because too often that message is absolutely eclipsed by the one that says it can be treated.

In regards to other countries, it came to me as I read that I don’t think our government should be involved at all. I think we should get meds, supplies and basic needs to countries like Haiti, through philanthropy. The USA is not rich, but individuals and corporations are and they don't make policy. They can help, they should, and some, such as Bill Gates and lord help me, Angelina Jolie, do.

We, the USA, need to pay off our own debt and give proper care to our own people.