timschochet
Footballguy
So it’s a simple question: during all the endless healthcare debates in our society (for ACA, against ACA, for Medicare for All, against Medicare for All, etc) Big Pharma has been criticized as a consistent villain, often by both sides. Progressives, and even some conservatives, have complained that this industry controls politicians, controls health care prices, has a lock on the marketplace, won’t allow us to fix healthcare, etc. Very little attention is given to their positive contributions to healthcare, such as all of the life saving medicines produced. In some discussions I’ve had on this subject in which I expressed the concern that socialized medicine and more restrictive controls on this industry might produce less innovation and cures in the future, it’s been asserted to me that scientists would develop those anyway out of a sense of altruism; the profit motive isn’t necessary.
And now here we have an example of Big Pharma doing great work in real time. In less than 9 months, an amazing record, Pfizer and Moderna have developed vaccines for Covid which is going to save lives and frankly save our economy. Doesn’t this suggest that the positive outweighs the negative, and that Big Pharma is good for society after all?
And now here we have an example of Big Pharma doing great work in real time. In less than 9 months, an amazing record, Pfizer and Moderna have developed vaccines for Covid which is going to save lives and frankly save our economy. Doesn’t this suggest that the positive outweighs the negative, and that Big Pharma is good for society after all?