::Leader Board:: Ahnko Honu Takes The Lead Chapter 23!

That’s what I figured. There’s a lot I don’t know.

But my gut reflex is the suck. Mostly for items like Epipens, insulin, etc. that have been around for a long,long time. The cost of pharmaceuticals in other countries also fuels my knee-jerk reaction. And I know my opinion is not very well informed.

Yes, the epipen thing is obscene. The cost of established medications should only drop over time. The cost of research into new medications is extreme, and for medications that treat relatively few people the cost per dose can be very very high as there aren't that many consumers to amortize the cost of the research AND provide a profitable outcome for the investors. Like it or not, pharmaceuticals are a for-profit business and the investors in the company demand a return on their investments - that's part of business. In a country like ours that somehow doesn't seem to feel it's necessary to provide healthcare for all for the overall well being of the society, individuals without good insurance can get stuck with amazing bills - or just not be able to pay for treatments that could save lives.

I regularly hear about diabetics who can't afford insulin - that seems horrendous. Yet I was able to buy our dog human insulin at Walmart for a very reasonable price. Where's the disconnect? Well...it's that research is coming up with more and more effective treatments through research and development. A diabetic for whom basic human insulin at Walmart is no longer effective would probably have had a much shorter life 50+ years ago, plain and simple. Our poor and underinsured people in this society basically live behind the R&D curve.

And yet...just Friday we talked some about the coming overpopulation of the earth. Advances in medicine have been a double-edged sword in that respect. Disease and epidemic used to be a great tool of nature to keep populations in check. Our own innovations are removing that natural balance - we are so death-adverse that an epidemic is seen as an evil thing; in truth, it's a natural system that balances ecosystems. I have seen articles talking about research that looks into how we can live "forever" - that would be a truly horrible thing for the planet.

So yeah - it's an incredibly complex thing. There is terrible greed among the pharmaceutical industry. There is also incredible, and expensive, innovation there as well. Every advance that extends our lives, however, also deepens the population problem on this planet. Would I see an end to medical innovation? No. Would I see medicine denied to people unequitably? No. Do I recognize that we've got a problem? Yes. It's another one of those things in the growing list of "I don't know what the answer to this could be..."
 
Another, even more morbid, thought: medical innovation is actually reducing the fitness of our species. Prior to innovations, children with certain diseases (cystic fibrosis comes to mind) would die before reproducing. Life-threatening allergies is another one. Now we can manage those diseases so kids grow old enough to reproduce and increase the prevalence of the diseases in the gene pool, weakening the species as a whole. We are actively working against natural selection - that's not going to end well...and yet, I can't think of a world without my Emma, who has what could be a life-threatening tree nut allergy. Or Summer, right, Ken? Sometimes science and emotion don't mix well...
 
Another, even more morbid, thought: medical innovation is actually reducing the fitness of our species. Prior to innovations, children with certain diseases (cystic fibrosis comes to mind) would die before reproducing. Life-threatening allergies is another one. Now we can manage those diseases so kids grow old enough to reproduce and increase the prevalence of the diseases in the gene pool, weakening the species as a whole. We are actively working against natural selection - that's not going to end well...and yet, I can't think of a world without my Emma, who has what could be a life-threatening tree nut allergy. Or Summer, right, Ken? Sometimes science and emotion don't mix well...

Me too. I’m on a slew of medication for diabetes and my heart.
 
Another, even more morbid, thought: medical innovation is actually reducing the fitness of our species. Prior to innovations, children with certain diseases (cystic fibrosis comes to mind) would die before reproducing. Life-threatening allergies is another one. Now we can manage those diseases so kids grow old enough to reproduce and increase the prevalence of the diseases in the gene pool, weakening the species as a whole. We are actively working against natural selection - that's not going to end well...and yet, I can't think of a world without my Emma, who has what could be a life-threatening tree nut allergy. Or Summer, right, Ken? Sometimes science and emotion don't mix well...

Yes or even Celiac's in Freeda and I. But the peanut allergy will never go away it just gives us a little more leaway before injecting with an epi pen
 
Yes or even Celiac's in Freeda and I. But the peanut allergy will never go away it just gives us a little more leaway before injecting with an epi pen

So got blower and did leaves where they were unsightly in front yard. Got batting not gonna reupholster till this week at some point. Ate mod pizza for fundraiser. Getting chicken prepped for dinner. Still would like to get decorations from garage attic down but it's so cold now don't like to be in garage that long.
 
I got 3 yards of a heavy batting for only 17$ it was 40 off at Joann's....I'm such weirdo about saving $$$$ Althought the wife may not approve the blower I got. It was gas powered, hand held and just over $100.... It's was a good deal and worth my raking pain.
 
Another, even more morbid, thought: medical innovation is actually reducing the fitness of our species. Prior to innovations, children with certain diseases (cystic fibrosis comes to mind) would die before reproducing. Life-threatening allergies is another one. Now we can manage those diseases so kids grow old enough to reproduce and increase the prevalence of the diseases in the gene pool, weakening the species as a whole. We are actively working against natural selection - that's not going to end well...and yet, I can't think of a world without my Emma, who has what could be a life-threatening tree nut allergy. Or Summer, right, Ken? Sometimes science and emotion don't mix well...

I don't claim to understand all of the ins and outs of drug pricing, but I know that a price per dose that exceeds the cost of a new car seems unreasonable, to me.

I'm certainly grateful for the research and studies, but I just can't help but see some greed at work, there....
 
Like Ken we raked up the leaves in our front yard. Bagged them. And loaded them into the van. It's full. Then I discovered that the recycle site wasn't open today. So tomorrow @ 9am I'll drive over there. The van is in the garage with ten bags of leaves as It's cargo.
 
I don't claim to understand all of the ins and outs of drug pricing, but I know that a price per dose that exceeds the cost of a new car seems unreasonable, to me.

I'm certainly grateful for the research and studies, but I just can't help but see some greed at work, there....

We have been fortunate so far to not have to take too many different pills daily.
 
I got 3 yards of a heavy batting for only 17$ it was 40 off at Joann's....I'm such weirdo about saving $$$$ Althought the wife may not approve the blower I got. It was gas powered, hand held and just over $100.... It's was a good deal and worth my raking pain.

I have a backpack gas blower that I never use. I should sell it. I have an electric one with a cord that suits my needs just fine.

The backpack one was given to me by a friend. I was supposed to fix it for him which I did (rebuilt carburetor) but then he didn't want it back. Wanted a newer, quieter model that was lighter.
 
How ya' doing Don?

Your T-cells doing their job?

Apparently doing quite well. We're still having to stay at the hotel, close to the hospital, but they've reduced our hospital visits to every other day, instead of daily.

I have the day off!!
 
Apparently doing quite well. We're still having to stay at the hotel, close to the hospital, but they've reduced our hospital visits to every other day, instead of daily.

I have the day off!!

GREAT to hear!!!!

Your news just made Monday much better! Keep it going!
 
Apparently doing quite well. We're still having to stay at the hotel, close to the hospital, but they've reduced our hospital visits to every other day, instead of daily.

I have the day off!!

Keep up the good work!
 
Top Bottom