Comments on: Unhealthy Care http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:43:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: The Mahablog » Surviving http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-371042 Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:52:13 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-371042 [...] Headlines in the popular press and blogs said that new cancer drugs like Avastin are “saving lives.” But I think most of us would agree that a median overall increase of survival by 4.7 months, while nothing to sneeze at, is not “saving lives.” This is especially true when the for-profit system that generated the 4.7 months for some patients is kicking other patients to the curb. (See also “Unhealthy Care“) [...] […] Headlines in the popular press and blogs said that new cancer drugs like Avastin are “saving lives.” But I think most of us would agree that a median overall increase of survival by 4.7 months, while nothing to sneeze at, is not “saving lives.” This is especially true when the for-profit system that generated the 4.7 months for some patients is kicking other patients to the curb. (See also “Unhealthy Care“) […]

]]> by: The Mahablog » Mind the Gap http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-280535 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:34:25 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-280535 [...] As I wrote here, American hospitals generally provide excellent care for newborns. But too many American babies are born prematurely, or with low birth weight or other preventable problems. And many of these problems can be traced to a lack of basic prenatal care. [...] […] As I wrote here, American hospitals generally provide excellent care for newborns. But too many American babies are born prematurely, or with low birth weight or other preventable problems. And many of these problems can be traced to a lack of basic prenatal care. […]

]]> by: The Mahablog » So I’m Blue in the Face http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-252895 Tue, 26 Jun 2007 20:33:29 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-252895 [...] As far as the “fewer drugs for fewer illnesses” line — what’s actually happening is that highly subsidized American Big Pharma cranks out tons of boutique drugs for boutique illness (toe rot; restless leg syndrome) or “new” drugs advertised as breakthrough but which usually are just minor tweaks to the old drugs, or perhaps not as good as the old drugs. “Life-saving” often means “terminal patients get one more month.” That sort of thing. I’ve written about his before; see “Demand Supply” and “Unhealthy Care.” [...] […] As far as the “fewer drugs for fewer illnesses” line — what’s actually happening is that highly subsidized American Big Pharma cranks out tons of boutique drugs for boutique illness (toe rot; restless leg syndrome) or “new” drugs advertised as breakthrough but which usually are just minor tweaks to the old drugs, or perhaps not as good as the old drugs. “Life-saving” often means “terminal patients get one more month.” That sort of thing. I’ve written about his before; see “Demand Supply” and “Unhealthy Care.” […]

]]> by: beckya57 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-216417 Mon, 14 May 2007 23:20:59 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-216417 The weird thing about oncology (cancer treatment) as I understand it is that oncologists, alone among physicians, can make a profit on the drugs they prescribe. And yes, this creates all the unhelpful incentives that you'd expect. The weird thing about oncology (cancer treatment) as I understand it is that oncologists, alone among physicians, can make a profit on the drugs they prescribe. And yes, this creates all the unhelpful incentives that you’d expect.

]]> by: Swami http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-216373 Mon, 14 May 2007 20:00:12 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-216373 My sister-in- law had lasic surgery done in Colombia. The cost of the surgery, the air fare, and accommodations was less money than having the procedure done here in the United States..She claimed, and I believe, that there was nothing second rate in quality and care. My sister-in- law had lasic surgery done in Colombia. The cost of the surgery, the air fare, and accommodations was less money than having the procedure done here in the United States..She claimed, and I believe, that there was nothing second rate in quality and care.

]]> by: moonbat http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-216338 Mon, 14 May 2007 16:18:41 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/05/14/unhealthy-care/#comment-216338 There is so much that could be said on this subject. I am looking forward to Michael Moore's "Sicko" (out end of June) to blow the lid on it, in a big way. A few datapoints: An optometrist told me about a recent treatment for wet-type macular degeneration, which involves injecting a substance - a byproduct of cancer therapy - into a patient's eye. The treatment is cheap and effective, about $50 a shot, but is not yet FDA approved. He said that a pharmaceutical company found a way to twist the molecules of the subtance in question, in such a way that the resulting compound was still effective and now patentable. It's also FDA approved, at $1000 a shot. Most doctors won't touch any treatment that isn't FDA approved. I live down the road from Amgen, a major pharamceutical company. It is one of the most desirable places in the area to work at, and they get thousands of resumes a month. They have something like 50 buildings on their campus, and one hears stories of a no-expenses-spared approach to their research. Buildings are razed to the ground and rebuilt if they were put up wrong or don't meet specs. There are many Amgen millionaires where I live - even janitors or low level people - who were lucky enough to catch the explosion in pharamceutical stocks early. I just read <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/14/6594/40481" rel="nofollow">today on DailyKos</a> about how: "Medical tourism is now being touted on the corporate web site of the Blue Shield Association and at least one Blue Cross plan (BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice® HealthPlan of South Carolina)..." "Now this makes good sense, this is smart. You go to say Thailand, India or Singapore for major surgery, then when you return to the United States, the Third World of healthcare, you may need some additional care, so who better to help than the for-profit insurance industry. They see money in medical tourism." You mention that righties will deny everything, unless it involves tax cuts, which isn't exactly true. They'll deny everything until they personally are suffering. Until that time, you keep away from their tax monies. There is so much that could be said on this subject. I am looking forward to Michael Moore’s “Sicko” (out end of June) to blow the lid on it, in a big way.

A few datapoints:

An optometrist told me about a recent treatment for wet-type macular degeneration, which involves injecting a substance - a byproduct of cancer therapy - into a patient’s eye. The treatment is cheap and effective, about $50 a shot, but is not yet FDA approved. He said that a pharmaceutical company found a way to twist the molecules of the subtance in question, in such a way that the resulting compound was still effective and now patentable. It’s also FDA approved, at $1000 a shot. Most doctors won’t touch any treatment that isn’t FDA approved.

I live down the road from Amgen, a major pharamceutical company. It is one of the most desirable places in the area to work at, and they get thousands of resumes a month. They have something like 50 buildings on their campus, and one hears stories of a no-expenses-spared approach to their research. Buildings are razed to the ground and rebuilt if they were put up wrong or don’t meet specs. There are many Amgen millionaires where I live - even janitors or low level people - who were lucky enough to catch the explosion in pharamceutical stocks early.

I just read today on DailyKos about how:

“Medical tourism is now being touted on the corporate web site of the Blue Shield Association and at least one Blue Cross plan (BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice® HealthPlan of South Carolina)…”

“Now this makes good sense, this is smart. You go to say Thailand, India or Singapore for major surgery, then when you return to the United States, the Third World of healthcare, you may need some additional care, so who better to help than the for-profit insurance industry. They see money in medical tourism.”

You mention that righties will deny everything, unless it involves tax cuts, which isn’t exactly true. They’ll deny everything until they personally are suffering. Until that time, you keep away from their tax monies.

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