Jan

Drugs are expensive – Call the WAMBULANCE.

Posted by The *Angriest* Pharmacist as Blogs I like, Doctors, Drug Companies, Education, GUEST CONTRIBUTOR, Insurance Companies, Me being a dick, Money, Patient Education, Politics, Religion, Stupid People, Welfare

This post is a rebuttal to a post located HERE. I think the post is well written, and I think the blog author is probably a nice person (And I love the concept of her blog). S/he just doesn’t know some things about the pharmaceutical industry, and I am going to fill in the blanks…I’d like to thank ‘Odublar’ for sending me the link.

I am going to respond to each paragraph/thought individually and my comments are, of course, in bold as they are the most important…

-=+=-

With prescription drugs, sometimes it’s a choice between going into debt or staying sick.

I’m sure this is not new news: Prescription drug costs are out of control. We are at the mercy of the pharmaceutical industry, insurance companies, physicians and druggists in the care of our own health. Yet, should we be in the business of making huge profits from the poor health of our citizens? As a community, shouldn’t we care and pay for our grandparents – and help our sick? Among us are cancer patients who cannot afford state-of-the-art treatment because the costs are prohibitively high. Instead, they must choose older or inferior treatments that fit their budgets.

Let me begin by saying that most pharmacists don’t make their money off of your prescriptions or pain at the register. I get paid the same amount whether I fill 100 or 1000 prescriptions.

Saying that healthcare profits from poor health is a fallacy. Poor health creates the market for healthcare while making the sick well is the service.

As a community, we ARE paying for our grandparents and MOST of our less fortunate — at least I am. You see, I pay 20 to 30 THOUSAND dollars in taxes that pays for MEDICAID and MEDICARE for the poor, elderly, disabled, and those that are a combination of all three. I would imagine you pay taxes as well.

It is unfortunate that a cancer patient may not be able to afford a state of the art treatment. But, as cold as it may sound, life can be a bitch. If that person were born in Mozambique, they would die of starvation 40 years before lung cancer (caused by a 50 pack-year history of smoking cigarettes) would have killed them.

Drug companies claim research and development are the reasons for such high costs of new treatments. Insurance companies – in the business to make profits, too – often limit the amount or types of treatment. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, many of our citizens – even those with health insurance – have to choose the second-best care.

And the claim is true. For every drug that makes it to the market, there are 1000 that are discovered, patented, analyzed, and discarded — some make it much further. Did you hear about the recent AIDS vaccine that made it all the way to Phase 3 studies (the step RIGHT before hitting the market) to be scrapped because it may have increased the risk of AIDS? Life is also a bitch for the lowly researchers toiling away at this…

Part of the high cost of bringing products to the market is advertising. Drug companies spend $2 billion to $3 billion a year in advertising drugs to you and me. I can rattle off the names of drugs I’ve seen advertised lately with images of happy, healthy people. Your kids probably can, too.

The question of the hours is: why do pharmaceutical companies advertise to patients? We can’t exactly write our own prescriptions, can we? If our doctor won’t prescribe what we ask for, should we be allowed a refund and to seek a physician who will? I’m not so sure my doctor wants me to tell him which medications I should be taking (though I certainly would like to).

I completely agree. You have no business being targeted for advertising. I think these commercials are useless and can be dangerous. But, they are there to “spread awareness” — says the Industry. In actuality, they are hoping that patients are overly pushy (which some of them are) and that some doctors are pussies (which some of them are). If a patient urges strong enough, some doctors will buckle just to shut them up and get them out of their office — I know you don’t want that to be true, but it is.

Advertising is propaganda. Instead of spending so much on advertising to the public, drug companies should reduce the cost of prescriptions. This way, more medications can be accessible to a greater number of patients.

Advertising is propaganda? A new doublethink phrase? Let me try: Marriage is divorce.

Anyway — you are right. Advertising should be cut or limited to those in healthcare, but do we KNOW that this will decrease the cost of the medicines to the patient? Hell no. It will decrease costs for the Industry, but will that force them to lower the price? Nope. They may well still charge the same price. All we’ve done is increased their profit margin by decreasing overhead, kept some patients from inquiring about the drug (who may or may not benefit from it), and made more money for Pfizer.

Or, if we really think patients should be the target of advertisers, give them control of the market by not requiring prescriptions for anything but narcotics. Do we really need prescriptions for birth control pills or allergy eye drops? Indeed there is a certain amount of risk and guesswork involved in medicine, and doctors rely mostly on the subjective recounting of our symptoms to diagnose. Can’t we, as individuals, research medications, accept the responsibility and, if we wish, ask for the guidance of our physician in making our own choices?

I know you’re just thinking ‘out loud’ here, but you must know that you are completely full of shit. Even your birth control pills come with some serious side effects and adverse drug reactions that can be fatal. Other medications, which are essentially over the counter in your scenario, require continued monitoring by a physician. So, the patient that thinks they are treating their Diabetes with Actos turns into a liver failure patient in your world.

Let me also say this for everyone — If your doctor is GUESSING and relying on MOSTLY SUBJECTIVE RECOUNTING to diagnose, he needs to have his fucking medical license revoked. Do you want your MD to guess when treating your infant? Do you want him to merely listen to your child’s breath sounds (subjective) or perhaps draw a little blood (objective) to check for infection? I thought so…

I also realize that you are an intelligent person. Your site says you’ve worked as a college instructor and are a social worker. You have a college degree. Therefore, you are in the smartest…ohh….10% of the nation? Hell, that number maybe even lower than that.

I’ve been recently working on some handouts for patients — pamphlets over diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia. It has been one of the most difficult endeavors in a while, and I recently saved a life.You know why? Because I (a person with a doctorate) have to write them at a FOURTH GRADE LEVEL. That’s the reading level we can expect from the average United States adult. I’ve been testing them out on a neighbor’s kid.

So, you want to put PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY in the hands of a person that doesn’t know the difference between accept, clear or cancel? You also want these people, who can’t read the vast majority of a newspaper (less the Funnies), to treat their pregnant spouses and young children — and ask their physician if they cannot handle.

I know that you know this will never happen — I just want to make doubly sure that you know how insane it sounds. To hammer this point home, I had a guy call in today and tell me his Phenergan SUPPOSITORIES tasted horrible and made him throw up even more. I pulled up the script and I, in fact input the sig as, “Unwrap and insert one suppository rectally every four to six hours as needed for nausea or vomiting.” — Yep, let’s let the average American prescribe themselves antibiotics.

For fuck’s sake, the majority of licensed physicians in this country need my size 15 boot shoved up their stupid, lazy asses for contributing to antibiotic resistance (which they both know and understand). If we gave the script pad to Joe the Plumber, we’d have a superinfection kill us all within 10 years.

Adults should be free to choose or to allow someone else to choose for them. Sure, some people will be concerned about lawsuits and people taking the wrong medicines, but consumers can find a great deal of information about drugs on the Federal Drug Administration’s Web site. We would all benefit if the FDA had an expanded, more comprehensive role, especially when it comes to the largely unregulated market of supplements – which most of us have taken here and there. An independent testing company, ConsumerLab, found excessive amounts of lead in a children’s vitamin. It also found that 25 percent of products do not contain what the label states. The FDA should be the individual’s “homeland security.” Everything that we consume should be tested for safety, efficacy and quality control.

If you only knew how many INSANE questions I answer because people have access to all this information on the internet but LACK the ability to accurately INTERPRET it. Meaning the person with a bacterial infection calls in freaking out because she’s been using “the contraindicated product HYDROCORTISONE — it says on web md that would be dangerous omg I’ve been using it on my itchy mosquito bites all day am I gonna die omg omg!!!!” — Find out for me, with all this info you have at your fingertips on the FDA website, why this caller is full of shit.

I’m sure you know this as well, but the FDA is the most underfunded agency since, well, ever. They are expected to police and inspect “100%” and have funding for about “15%.” Are you willing to help foot the bill? It may cost you something somewhere else.

As far as vitamins and herbals — they aren’t tested for efficacy. Hell, they aren’t really tested for safety. They are pulled from the market after they harm someone. Yes, that’s right. We have to prove them unsafe.

Now, here’s something I find fucking hilarious. You want everything we consume tested for SAFETY, EFFICACY, AND QUALITY CONTROL. Are you serious? Do you see the hilarious irony here? You bitch about the costs of medicines and healthcare — so you want to cut a couple billions in advertising costs and in the same post you are telling me we need to add 10 billion in expensive product analysis in vitamins and herbals.

I’m not an economist or a lawmaker. I have degrees in the liberal arts and a desire to see our elderly free of the burden of high prescription costs and cumbersome, confusing Medicare prescription drug plans. I’d also like to know that my neighbor can afford the latest and greatest in cancer treatment. I’d like to be captain of my own health care. And I’d like to know one thing for certain: Companies cannot profit from the poor health of our citizens or offer state-of-the-art treatment only to the wealthiest few.

I want people to have access to healthcare — especially my neighbors. I really do. I don’t want people to die because they can’t afford the basics which we’ve had around forever. But, at the same time, I fucking refuse to accept and be happy with paying for healthcare (as well as groceries) for some fuckwad that sits at home on their ass mooching off the system.

I’m proud of you for being the captain of your own healthcare ship — but far too many Americans won’t take responsibility for their own crotch spawn, much less their own wellbeing. People want everything handed to them on a platter. They aren’t responsible or respectable like you. It kills me to say it, but far too many Americans are fucking worthless. They are worthless because the system makes it too easy to do nothing and profit/prosper.

As far as profit, that’s what drives discovery and results in a capitalist society. In Canada, everyone has access to healthcare. It’s affordable. But, they have to wait months to get in and be seen. Do you think they have access to state-of-the-art treatment? Not quite.

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36 Comments »

pharmacy chick says January 15th, 2009 at 12:59 am

Well written

REALLY???? Wow…thanks!

pharmintern says January 15th, 2009 at 1:49 am

I agree with Pharmacy Chick, well written post. I want to slam my head against a table or wall everytime I hear somone start talking like the person’s post you took apart and explained the errors in it. I’ve had people come up and ask why they can’t just buy what ever non-narc med they want because some site on the internet said all they need to know. And of course the sites tend to be random sites the google search came up with, Web MD, and wikipedia. They bring in some half sheet of paper with some facts on the med and think they’re the expert. I pull out the fact and comparison’s and usually have a computer nearby I can access clincal pharm or micromedex. Some how I don’t get the warm fuzzie feeling when someone decides when they need to go on warfarin and how they are going to dose themselves.

Yeah…there’s another good one — COUMADIN! I’m sure the average 4th-grade-intelligence American can interpret PT/INR…or adequately bridge from enoxaparin.

dispensing_tillthroatisdry says January 15th, 2009 at 2:29 am

Hi TAestP, I think it was well written too. I enjoyed reading this during my lunchtime (eating in front of the screen) In my pratice I have too many pple who do things their own way and still manage to blame it on us. Just last month I had to do a refund for a patient (against our policies) cos he threatened us for selling him a isphag husk fibre drink containing aspartame. His argument was that aspartame causes cancer. When asked what made him think so, he was incredulous at my response and said “Doesn’t the whole world know this? It’s everywhere! It’s all over the internet” Sigh.

Yes, it causes cancer in doses of 75 pounds IV….at least that is the equivalent dose that the rats got that caused them cancer…:-)

Gus says January 15th, 2009 at 7:01 am

Perhaps someone should post a comment on that page directing them here. It seems silly to write a rebutal when the person it is written to wont get to see it…

It’s automatic when you link to one wordpress site — they get a notification.

Ren says January 15th, 2009 at 11:00 am

Good post.

She makes some good points, and it’s certainly nice to read something from a layperson that is actually intelligent and well thought out. Compare her non-rant to most of the unintelligible rambling “opinions” we have to deal with.

TheAngryPharmacist says January 15th, 2009 at 11:06 am

WTF, a college professor and social worker are the 2 classes of people who are super vocal about how much they know when in fact they know jack and/or shit. They are also the 2 most liberal occupations out there and expect everything for free (while whining about how little they make when they knew their occupations make shit wages).

Smartest 10% of the nation? Give me a break, seriously. You obviously need your angry license reevaluated.

The person that asked me to respond to this BEGGED me to be polite and turn off the anger-o-meter. So, I did. I felt that my response was weak because of it. As for the smartest 10%, I’m not sure how to phrase what I wanted to say there. I just wanted to express that someone with a college degree, regardless of what it’s in (even physical education or general studies) can read above a 4th grade level and can probably be trusted to give their children cough medicine whereas the vast majority of Americans cannot read and should merely skip giving their kids medicine rather than take the chance of causing DXM poisoning…

The Ole' Apothecary says January 15th, 2009 at 11:56 am

There are people who believe that drugs are holy, and prescription insurance is a sacrament, not just an entitlement. It has to be this way, based on the profies I’ve seen. I am often heard to say, that if I have to be on that many drugs, just shoot me.

What gets me, for example, is that when people get lung cancer from smoking, they seem to remain perceived as victims. Like the man believed about aspartame, where have all these smokers been since 1964? Or, better yet, 1958, when I was choking on my own Mom’s second-hand smoke? I didn’t need a U.S. Surgeon General to tell MY chemoreceptor trigger zone that something about tobacco was very,very bad. Where have common sense and righteous responsibility gone? (BTW, my Mom quit smoking in 1967; she turns a vibrant 90 in November. She’ll make 100. Duh.).

Adam says January 15th, 2009 at 7:16 pm

I must admit I’ve flirted with the idea of letting people get whatever meds they want (minus stuff that really needs to be controlled like antibiotics) on the principle of “individual rights”, and hoping that a) responsible people will consult a doctor anyways, and b) after enough people die people will smarten up and consult a doctor. I suppose it’s a bit like communism – it sounds like a great idea from the armchair, but it’s never going to work in practise.

The only problem I see is that it simply doesn’t square with wanting the fun drugs being legal. If you want to legalize recreational stuff like marijuana and cocaine and whatever else, where is the line drawn between drugs people want and drugs people need?

Here’s how: Give a man $15. The drug he needs costs $15. The drug he wants costs $30.

When he buys a half-order of the more expensive drug, it’s recreational and that’s where you draw your line.

Odublar says January 15th, 2009 at 7:38 pm

Thanks TAestP, I can’t believe in one moment my two favorite blogs have met. lol. Of course, I found my 3rd favorite through your links….that would be…

“I want to be a Pharmacist…”
http://iwanttobeapharmacist.blogspot.com/

I sure wish he/she would get more comments though.

- Steven

SampleRx says January 15th, 2009 at 9:38 pm

i recently discovered this site … and spent 3 solid hours reading nearly everything i could on it. my goodness, man, i agree with you completely.
having spent the last 5 years of my life in retail pharmacy (and, most likely, the rest – i’m halfway thru pharmacy school), your views here are strong and well-said.
a little excerpt: a patient came thru recently with a script for Levsin – i counseled him on its indications and his dr’s instructions, carefully answering his questions with tact and knowledge. after all my (free!) help, he simply took his script back and said, “i’m gonna go home and look it up on the internet before i swallow anything.” yeah, good luck, buddy. tell me if google finally spits out an answer to “why the hell is my life so worthless?” try listening to the educated people within arm’s reach. we just might be able to help.
so yeah, TAestP, thanks for being my voice, too. keep up the good work.

IAPharmr says January 15th, 2009 at 10:43 pm

I am sorry but I have to agree with everyone here as well…well written my friend.

The biggest laugh I got was how we should all be able to pick whatever drugs we want. Sure my BP is high, you have diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and heart failure…quick lay person tell me what you should be on.

Frankly you could look up every conceivable combo on FDA, but they just give you the drug info. You have to understand the physiology and therapeutics of the drugs to know how they will work together and what they will do. You would need to read a lot more books to figure all of that out.

MDs, PharmDs and everyone in between have gone to school for a long time to know what we are doing and what we are talking about, we just do make this shit up, we know it and we kick ass (at least I do).

VaTech says January 15th, 2009 at 10:54 pm

As usual, very well written, on both ends…actually. She had some excellent points, which you addressed and I found myself nodding my head for every one of them. I have to admit I almost expected the pharmacy to get blamed somewhere for jacking up the prices. As cute as her idea is for letting people prescribe their own drugs…what’s to keep those patients from referring to the same damn advertising with the happy, fun people that she complained about earlier? It would go well…until about a day later when someone kiills themself with stupidity and the family members sue the pharmacy that provided the “lethal” drug.

I feel like I go through this every time a doctor writes a script in chicken scratch and when I tell the patient that my pharmacist has to call and verify…they try to tell me “well…duh, it’s such and such…even I can read that” nope, you think it’s that because you’ve gotten THAT once before. 9 times out of 10, they’re dead wrong. We called on one yesterday where the doctor chuckled and said “oh yeah…that’s the wrong sig…should be TID instead of QD and 1 instead of 3. Wow.

If people are so concerned with the fact that they should make their own decisions on healthcare, try making decisions about supplemental health. Go to a gym instead of eating fast food…stop smoking so you can help prevent lung cancer…take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Good point here! Who woulda thought, accountability and self respect!

The problem with the internet today is pure, simple misinformation. Did you get a lot of questions about Singulair after that one kid committed suicide and happened to be on that medication? I was amazed at the sheer volume of people who were throwing their pill bottles at me demanding refunds. My pharmacist tried to explain the situation, even used me as an example (i.e. “my tech has taken singulair for 3 years…and she’s not panicking…let’s wait to get more information”) after that, I had someone say that my marriage was probably failing, I probably harbored suicidal thoughts in private and wanted to kill my coworkers. So all of a sudden, those that “researched” the claim on the internet were psychiatrists…amazing and scary at the same time.

pharmacy chick says January 15th, 2009 at 11:44 pm

I also find incredulous that she believes that the average Joe would be capable of selecting their treatments like they would bread off the shelves, when in fact, the bulk of the people who order their refills cannot even accurately tell me WHAT they are taking–”fill my white pill and the yellow one” , mispronounce them “I want the ATNOL and the DIPROMOLE filled” and really have no idea what they are specifically for. I had a call recently who wanted her refills. “I have 8 of them”. We were friends and I asked him “Really, if you needed to tell somebody what you were taking, could you?” “HELL NO, he said, isn’t that YOUR job?”
All righty then…..moving on.

pharmacy chick says January 15th, 2009 at 11:47 pm

Lets clarify HE wanted refills for he and HIS wife…8 of them. She was severely deficient and couldn’t care for herself anymore and he was responsible for both of them. Sorry about gender confusion in post.

Anonymous RT says January 16th, 2009 at 8:05 am

In 2009, why do educated people say “druggist” like the writer did- I know, off the subject but it bugs me. Also, the same thing happens in allied health-I had an irate person demandin “Z-pack” and finally figured out she wanted me to conjure up a CPAP device for her to take home. CPAP/Z-pack, geeze.

Debbie says January 16th, 2009 at 8:35 am

Hi Mr. Angry. It’s been an interesting discussion. After reading these comments, I appreciate your level-headed and polite post. People can be brutal, as evidenced here.

I was just putting ideas out there for people to consider. Thinking outside the box used to be a good thing. We don’t have to agree.

I never claimed to have all the answers. Yes, I only have an undergraduate and a graduate degree in the arts, no specialized medical knowledge. But, as you know, we’re trained to think critically and logically. Those of us who go on to college tend to love to read about many things (like medicine, history, etc.).

It is ashame you have to encounter so many selfish (and perhaps even stupid) people. They leave a bad taste in your mouth for the public in general.

Peace,
Debbie.

Valmommyt says January 16th, 2009 at 8:48 am

I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I appreciate all the work you put into this website, along with your extremely demanding job. It’s a cold hard fact that a majority of people, at least Americans, are coddled and spoiled. I’m not surprised to hear the brochures have to be written at a 4th grade level, it’s sad, but not surprising. I would be TERRIFIED if people were allowed to just use the Internet to self-prescribe! Since subscribing to your site, I have treated my pharmacists much better, not that I treated them like shit, but honestly, I had no idea how much training and schooling went into being a pharmacist. Thank you for the service you provide, and especially thank you for not self censoring yourself. You talk like people think, but are just too afraid to say aloud.

Unizee says January 16th, 2009 at 9:00 am

TAestP, your posts never cease to provide me with food for thought, for now I will be wondering all day what a phenergan suppository actually tastes like.

Hmm. Perhaps you could have one of your techs do some research for a future blog entry. Just a thought.

I’m sure it’s bitter and tastes like vaseline smells…:-)

Debbie says January 16th, 2009 at 9:08 am

I also meant to comment on these two comments:
“WTF, a college professor and social worker are the 2 classes of people who are super vocal about how much they know when in fact they know jack and/or shit. They are also the 2 most liberal occupations out there and expect everything for free (while whining about how little they make when they knew their occupations make shit wages).”

Wow. What a stereotypie…You might add to this list, a member of the “liberal media.” Yet I don’t ever remember complaining about the money I make or the quality of my health insurance benefits. I am fortunate on both counts. Can’t I feel compassion for those folks-especially our elderly-who cannot afford their meds? That is sad. And it’s sad we’ve lost our compassion just because we believe a person is “not worthy” based on our standards. Just as you felt my opinion was not worthy based on my occupation.

“If people are so concerned with the fact that they should make their own decisions on healthcare, try making decisions about supplemental health. Go to a gym instead of eating fast food…stop smoking so you can help prevent lung cancer…take the stairs instead of the elevator.”

Ummm….I’ve been going to a gym since I was 12. My picture is on my blog-I am not overweight. I take NO meds. BUT, I have friends who DO work out and live a healthy lifestyle and still need meds (for diabetes, etc.). Is that a fair statement?

Yup! But, the vast majority of ‘Diabesity’ can be curbed by skinnying up…

Biene says January 16th, 2009 at 9:35 am

“I also realize that you are an intelligent person. Your site says you’ve worked as a college instructor and are a social worker.”
Are YOU kidding? Social worker? Intelligent? ARGHHHH!

I had a rotation at a VA — I had some conversations with a social worker that blew my mind. He had to have an IQ of 160. He made Ken Jennings look retarded…

Anyway, what would make you think social workers lack intelligence? Even not considering the guy at the VA, I’ve never had anything make me think that…

Loyal says January 16th, 2009 at 10:39 am

First, I am not a pharm or phys. I am in the upper percentages in intelligence. I could not agree with your post more. I have on occasion requested specific medicine and it ALWAYS backfired on me in the long run. I finally figured out that the 8 years of school an MD receives are a good thing. Not to mention the time my pharm put in. Hey when I have a plumbing problem it turns out that a plumber is a good thing, not me mucking with a wrench. In other words, the expertise is what costs.

Loyal

Odublar says January 16th, 2009 at 11:28 am

“…in allied health-I had an irate person demandin “Z-pack” and finally figured out she wanted me to conjure up a CPAP device for her to take home. CPAP/Z-pack, geeze.”

All I know about this sentence is that you were thinking of Zithromax (Z-Pak), right? What’s the history behind “CPAP/Z-pack”?

Thanks in Advance.

Steven

I’m assuming the patient was very adamant about needing a “FUCKING ZPAK!!!” After explaining that she needed a prescription, the pharmacist discovered that the person was, in fact, a retard — she needed to order a CPAP Machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure — forces air in for those with sleep apnea). So, she said one think, thought she was right but meant another.

Jesse says January 16th, 2009 at 3:58 pm

Why not just let them self-dose their own Warfarin and tell them to stab themselves every now and then to see if it’s working? Maybe the stupidity would bleed out and teach others a lesson.

Debbie says January 16th, 2009 at 9:00 pm

Jeez. Mr. Angry. I am grateful that you are not like some of your readers. Come on, guys. “Are YOU kidding? Social worker? Intelligent? ARGHHHH!” Is that statement an illustration of your intelligence, Biene? You can tell by the way I address issues and the manner in which I write that I’m no dummy. I was in GT classes in high school. By 11th grade, there were no more math classes for me to take in my high school. I graduated with a 3.9 with my undergrad and grad degrees. For fun, I took biology, physics and chemistry. Give. Me. A. Break. You want me to take your arguments seriously, don’t attack someone personally. Use logic. I know it’s in there somewhere….

They take after their ringleader…me! I usually tear someone apart with logic and reasoning THEN resort to violent namecalling, putdowns, and public humiliation….:-)

rxblogger says January 16th, 2009 at 11:47 pm

I’ve thought about teaching several times during the past two semesters. In case I don’t get in to PS, I’m making a back up plan. I know we’d all like to think college students are smart, but some of them I don’t understand why they even go. It’s like they didn’t think it through fully, and thought it’s what you do after high school.

Steven

OUT FOR LIFE says January 17th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

Quite frankly, everyone is being far too decent: this woman is a MORON. TAP filled us in on why we didn’t get the usual beat down. Liberal arts education; hahahahaha, that’s what you get when you go to college for 4 years, but never acutally complete a REAL degree. Drugs are expensive because they cost a fortune to bring to market, and for every one that actually provides a contribution to the discovering company, there are literally thousands if not hundreds of thousands of compounds computer generated and then pharmacolgically screened on animals, it costs millions and that is just the first stage. Add to that the U.S. subsidizing medicine in all the socialist countries, where complete idiots like this chick are in charge, and the price really goes through the roof. She wants everyone to have state of the art; well deary, state of the art costs bucks: GET A CLUE. If there’s no money to be made NOONE is going to invest in discovering STATE OF THE ART medicines. As for the greedy pharmacist profiting from others’ illness, well pharmacy is the only field where you can sell a $1200.00 RX and make only $10.00 dollars. So let me get this straight; she went to school FOR 4 YEARS and got a liberal arts degree, but she’s going to handle all her prescribing. I hope she does a better job than she did researching her post. TAP hit it. The average clown on the streets now days doesn’t have the responsibility to pay their own bills much less prescribe themselves medicine. That part of her post was absurd. All in all, her opinion was uninformed, moronic, and really not worth writing.

Looks like they fired back at this guy:
http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/2009/01/18/515/

Debbie says January 17th, 2009 at 7:51 pm

Thanks, out for life. I responded to your comments on my blog. I sure hope you don’t work with the public…

Lottie says January 17th, 2009 at 11:22 pm

Yikes! I usually only encounter this level of hostility from religious fundamentalists.

It seems to me that you don’t value logic and reason as much as you claim to, seeing as you don’t mind turning a blind eye to the numerous logical fallacies committed by various members of your fan club. I guess flawed logic is fine when it’s used to attack someone with whom you disagree?

I only have time to argue with one person — this week it was your queen, ‘dam’. If I responded to every ridiculous statement posted on this site, it would be a full time job. However, feel free to respond (hostile or not) to what you feel was illogical and/or wrong.

Biene says January 20th, 2009 at 2:21 pm

Well “Debbie,” good for you! All the Logic I had left in me was sucked out by all the liberals like you! You should not care what I have to say, I am just not as intelligent as you are!!!

Be nice Sabby! Your faithful leader [me] is somewhere between Ralph Nader, Bob Barr and DrugMonkey.

Michael says January 22nd, 2009 at 2:11 am

I am a pharmacist in Australia, where advertising of prescription drugs is illegal. Yet it still costs companies like 1 billion dollars and 10-15 years to get a drug on the market (these are numbers i am hazily recalling from around 2007 when some drug rep told me). So cutting the advertising budget (which obviously generates income or they wouldn’t spend it as TAestP said) still wont keep the cost down.
Also it’s not only consumer advertising that will get pushy patients to try and cajole their docs into prescribing something they want. I can’t tell you how many times i have been asked by customers if i think ’suchandsuch’ would be good for them because ‘it has done wonders for my friends brothers wife.’

Biene says January 23rd, 2009 at 10:26 am

OK!
I am glad I stopped myself when I did, otherwise you would have banned me:)

I only ban dickheads….you definitely are NOT a dickhead…:-)

Biene says January 23rd, 2009 at 1:45 pm

Not yet:) Thank’s

Alison says March 10th, 2009 at 9:26 am

Wow…well done till you bought into the myth that everyone in Canada has to wait months to see a Doctor. It may not be perfect but it works far better than the US system.

Yes, I’m sure you have access to advanced medical technology and treatments like we do here — ohh wait, you don’t because we come up with all of the breaking edge treatments and technology…

Alison says March 11th, 2009 at 2:24 pm

Oh I guess you’re right…no where else in the world has access to innovative or advanced medical technology…such a typical American view of the world!

Listen, cunt. I’m not saying no one else in the world has medical technology, first line treatments, or the advanced procedures. I’M SAYING THAT THEY BUY THEM FROM US! Americans develop the vast majority of this stuff then sell it to the rest of the world.

Now, go back to your igloo and pout.

Biene says March 12th, 2009 at 10:02 am

See Alison, now you made him angry:)

I travel oversees many times a year. Be it to visit Family or for lectures. America is by far the most advanced Country when it comes to medical treatment and research. Be happy you live so close by and count your blessings:) Personally I have not heard of any Breakthrough Canada did in Medical Research but I will look into it.

Kevin says March 28th, 2009 at 11:28 am

America may have the best health care in the world, if you can afford it. And even if you have health insurance you often have to battle the insurance company to get them to cover shit they are supposed to cover. I know.

Ill stick with nationalized health care. If you are bitching about poor people abusing the system, you should look into corporate welfare. Like huge tax breaks for corporations, bailouts, etc. I think they cost taxpayers a little more than any poor person on Medicaid can. Not saying what they do is ok though.

Drugs are expensive – Call the WAMBULANCE.

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