Re: health care reform I would make

On 21 Aug 2009 17:33:31 GMT, The BorgMan <me@xxxxxx> wrote:

Neil X <neilxk@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:aa416615-fbee-4499-bdc2-de757492f78a@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

Neil X.:

Ads are already carefully monitored to make certain they aren't
misleading.  Just one recent example is the series of ads for a
birth control pill called "Yaz," where they spent the entire ad
apologizing for their previous ad and clarifying exactly what the
drug is good for.  That's exactly the way the system is supposed to
work.

BorgMan:

No - the way the system is supposed to work the first ad would have
never aired to need to be apologized for.


You keep saying that, but you've yet to provide any compelling reason
why the system "should" work that way.

Drug ads should be subject to review for misleading information before
being allowed to be put on the public spectrum.

Why? Because that is what is right.

No, that's what is ideal. It's utterly unrealistic to expect an
ideal system. The test is whether the existing system is better than
realistic alternatives. A government panel could be set up to review
drug ads, but that would take money. You think there'd be much
chance of pushing a tax increase through Congress to pay for that?


At any rate, if doctors are over-prescribing, blame the doctors.

I do.

...and the patient... and the pharmacist... and the culture that
promotes drugs as a solution to every problem... and the government
that inadequately regulates drugs...


That's just flat out ridiculous. We regulate drugs more fanatically
in the US than anywhere else in the world. Drive across to Mexico
some time. All of these prescription drugs that you demand be more
tightly regulated are just sitting on the shelves waiting for anyone
to walk up and purchase.

Yes, the fact that others do an even WORSE job with drug regulation is
interesting... but it says nothing about how well we do the job.


What the US needs is LESS regulation of drugs, not more.

No, what the US needs is BETTER regulation of drugs - whether that
entails more or less actual regulations.

Knowledge is power.  This paternalistic attitude that patients need
t
o
be protected from information about the existence of
pharmaceuticals is offensive.

This paternalistic attitude that children need to be protected from
information about the existence of cigarettes is offensive too,
right?


Our discussion has nothing to do with minors. But I do support the
right of tobacco companies to advertise on TV, as long as the ads are
not targeted to children. Ditto for booze.

I believe it is a choice of the people whether they want to grant any
corporations the privilige to advertise on the public spectrum, and I'd
argue the best choice is a pragmatic, not idealistic one.

I wonder who, exactly, you mean when you say "the people". For all
practical real-world purposes, the people are represented by their
legislators in Congress. Congress has passed laws governing
corporations, and the courts have interpreted those laws. If you
don't like the way it works, you have every right to push for a change
in laws.
--
~ Seth Jackson

MySpace URL - http://www.myspace.com/sethjacksonsong
Songwriting and Music Business Info: http://www.sethjackson.net
.

Relevant Pages

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