A hotly debated passage of a new Medicare bill for prescriptions in congress caused the GOP to state the Democrats offer was too high…. Democrats prepared a costlier alternative with a uniform, government-defined prescription drug benefit, offered to all 39 million senior citizens now enrolled in Medicare. But majority Republicans, arguing that the $100 billion price tag exceeded the $40 billion contained in their budget, refused to allow a vote on it.
Later the GOP put forth their own bill, which they said, had a lower price tag but still had the consumers in mind and calling for a vote. When the vote was finally tabulated, it squeaked by with 217 to 214 mostly along Republican Party lines with a few Democrats tossing their votes in to help the measure pass.
The Democrats did something…they walked out of chambers in almost complete unison to protest what they called "GOP Tactics".
Now I am sure that most Americans who either watched this hotly contested debate over Medicare for some 39 million senior citizens or will read about it will think…."They have my best interest at heart…. they are trying to help me afford prescription drugs necessary for the well being of my life…. they are making sure that I am counted in and counted for!"
Well, I am here to shake the tree some and ask some serious but much needed questions….
1. Do "THEY" meaning congress in Washington, really have your "Best" interest at heart?
2. Why is it that pharmaceutical companies in Europe, Canada, Mexico and all points other than the US charge next to nothing for the same drugs purchased here by US citizens?
3. Why is it that drugs made by pharmaceutical companies in the US will test drugs for over 10 years before launching them in the US when the same pharmaceutical companies have tested, double tested, triple tested drugs and for years sold to the public at large the same drugs in other countries? We are not talking about drugs that may be similar…. we are talking about drugs that are IDENTICAL in chemical composition!
4. Why do you think we American citizens pay more for drugs than any other nation on earth?
Years ago a friend who was practicing medicine told me that in reading medical journals concerning treatment of various illnesses, he found that in Europe they were using certain drugs in treatments for years, only to find that the same exact drug, chemical make-up, etc. was still in the testing experimental stage in the US. This was in 1984 but the same deal continues to reside today.
My friend also told me that drugs that had been on the market for years in Europe were being used in various other ways than what they were designed for with dramatic effects!
For instance, a drug that normally is sent into the patient via IV for lung infections and pneumonia was being used in England and France via inhalants with shocking results! The patients were responding faster, they had less hospital time, there was less visible scarring of the lungs due to pneumonia and the patient had less associative infection processes like pericarditis (inflammation of the heart sac due to the initial infection), bladder and kidney infections, etc.
My friend then informed me that this was a NO- NO in the US…. because it had not gone through the proper channels of testing, retesting, double testing and laboratory analysis and accordingly with the FDA it was not considered proper therapy.
Now mind you, this type of therapy had been going on for YEARS in Europe with miraculous results! Also consider that the same drug company that had discovered, formulated, researched and tested this drug and was allowing it to be used in Europe had laboratories here in the US that were saying…"This drug and its use has to be studied via regular channels before we can allow any physician to use this type of radical therapy or drug on any US citizen."
Now some of you may be thinking…"Isn't it wonderful they are looking out for our welfare?"
But I ask you…if they were so concerned with your welfare…then why would these same pharmaceutical companies allow the same thing to go on in Europe, Canada, and Mexico and keep the exact same treatments from you?
PROFITS!!!!!! How else can they justify the high price of pharmaceuticals??? They have formulated, researched and tested their drugs to the nth degree for the safety of European consumers and been using those same drugs with great success… And most consumers in the US who complain about the high cost of drugs in their initial state are spoon fed from the US pharmaceutical companies, the US government and the US FDA… "Research, testing and formulation takes years and years to ensure the safety of the drug for your consumption and all this research, testing and formulation is VERY expensive to do, but in the long run the price WILL come down (yeah after they make their HEFTY PROFITS)" ….. Never mind consumers that the same drug or therapy has been used in most cases for years in other countries.
So when it comes to the war on drugs…the only war we the citizens of the US are faced with is the profiteers of the pharmaceutical companies…the congressmen and women the pharmaceutical companies have in their back pockets…the insurance companies who say we can't afford to pay for outrageous drug prices (but who will dole out millions of dollars in bribes to capitol hill to help them keep premiums high while paying out next to nothing in healthcare benefits…and reaping HUGE windfalls in profits)
Is it any wonder that the US ranked so low on the scale of the World Health Organization compared to other nations especially those in Europe? Between the greed of the pharmaceutical companies, the gluttony of those voted in to watch out for our best interest, and the profiteering of insurance companies, it is a no brainer why we have serious flaws in healthcare……serious problems in the cost of healthcare…..and why so many in the US cannot afford any healthcare, much less high priced drugs and basic medical services!
So my friends…what you see when you watch debates on capitol hill are nothing more than smoke and mirrors…. designed to make you the constituent feel safe and secure in your hard working congressional representative..When in fact….they are working hard to get "those fact finding junkets to tropical islands, their payola from pharmaceuticals, and their bribes from insurance companies and healthcare providers, while joisting at windmills to give the appearance of working for you!"
European country governments have a no- nonsense approach to healthcare for their citizens…they take NO-NONSENSE from pharmaceutical companies and do not allow them to jack up prices for huge profits. So the same pharmaceutical companies with laboratories here in the US see their "golden fleece" in the consumers of the US knowing that most don't know, or don't care about what is going on in Europe, are uninformed about their European participation and will go after every last dime and dollar that the US consumer has when it comes to drugs and healthcare with the wink, nod and approval of those on capitol hill!
The Bottom Line is….
Washington is the best government money can buy!
Think about it!
Send to:
Editor
[HNN Home]