Comment Re:I Save RX (Score 1) 629
Like I said, I don't know what the profit margins are or how little they could sell their drugs for and still turn a profit. But someone has to feed the monster.
Seeing as drug research benefits pretty much everyone, why isn't the government doing it?
- Because the government is corrupt, unaccountable, and wasteful?
- Not to mention incompetent?
- Because they already fund a lot of research in this area, performed by universities?
- Because we really don't want life-saving drugs that many of us need in the hands of those that could deny us access to them unless we submit to their will, backed by the coercive power of the state? At least with private companies, the government could compel them to turn over the research/drugs. Who would compel the government to do so?
- Because private companies actually have a tremendous incentive to do research on new drugs, since they are extremely profitable?
Yeah, it's not perfect, and it does mean that drugs that can treat rare diseases are extremely expensive because the drug company doesn't sell much of them, but the alternative really isn't an improvement. I always wonder why people get freaked out about highly powerful corporations, but believe highly powerful governments are a safer and better option.
