Poor prescriptions for health prospects

But this private American industry of miracle-makers and lifesavers is now under assault from all directions. Many people apparently want the miracle medicines without paying for them, or paying nearly enough to keep them coming.

Charlatans are rushing forward to posture themselves on a high moral pedestal as the champions of the poor, the sick, and the needy in attacking the pharmaceuticals. But all these self-appointed saviors have never produced one drug or medicine that has ever benefited anyone.

This has been reflected in the still pending congressional debate over a Medicare prescription drug plan. The Senate bill would allow unrestricted importation of American-made drugs from Canada, purchased under Canada's price controls. Moreover, even in the U.S., Medicare reimbursement under the pending plans would fall far short of market prices.

Such provisions would drastically reduce the revenue flow to the pharmaceuticals. That would in effect sharply slash the nation's true budget for research and development of miracle drugs.

Solid profits on the drugs that work are necessary for a time to make the whole process of modern biomedical drug development viable. The research and development is highly expensive, an average of $800 million for each new drug, and the investment in it is very long term, for it takes well more than 10 years for a successful research effort to start making any money.

Pardon me while I hyperventilate. The pharmaceutical industry has good features. New drug classes often help patients greatly. I and most physicians greatly appreciate the advances of the last quarter century - statins, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, quinolones, proton pump inhibitors, etc. What this guy ignores is the greed of some companies. They deserved a good return on Prilosec. They have no excuse for Nexium. Likewise Claritin and Clarinex. They do not need to raise prices each year at a greater percentage than the cost of living. I favor the free market, but this is not the free market.