This posting will serve both the "Pharmaceutical Cash Cows" and "From The FOXHOLE with Bernie" series of this journal/ blog. I wanted to record this in this journal because it's an importante issue that is not getting enough coverage, and especially now for the next several months, there is just going to be political elections coverage for the most part in America. Thanx to Senator Sanders, Huffington Post & Americans for Tax Fairness on this ... the read in the Huffington Post link below is incredible, and shows the depth of just how bad the tax laws and political corruption is in this country ... we are so desensitized to corruption these dayz ... that some actually expect and accept it as part of our American fabric, but to folks like myself, it is American stupidity, passiveness and neglect, to expect and accept. Too many Americans actually expect to get ripped off these dayz, some think nothing of it, it's even fashionable for some, even some of the largest companies have advertisements/ commercials in our prime time mainstream media and programming, actually pointing out and detailing how their competition is robbing you, politicians running for political office even tell you how corrupt and unfair the system is, some that are the key ingredient in the corruption themselves. But you cant just blame this all on the company is my point, after all, it took an act of Congress to even allow this to get to the point it is, without legislation to allow this to happen, these folks would NOT take advantage of us the way they do, eh? ... so you see my point. Senator Sanders points out and anyone with any amount of sanity and common sense would tell you ... "it is not acceptable", and it's not, not unless of course you like being robbed.
Gilead Sciences is a very importante biopharmaceutical company, importante because they have a specialty and concentrate much on research and development for some critically needed antiviral drugs that deal with large scale problems like Hepatitis C & B, HIV and influenza. I'm one that even believes in giving tax incentives especially to companies that really work, contribute and earn their way, and am even supportive of a good reasonable profit being made by companies as incentive and reward for investment, risk and research ... so I'm not out to trash companies as some may think ... but what you have here is ridiculous and basically robbery ... I wouldnt call the pharma industry quite a monopoly yet ... but it has matured into at least an oligopoly. This is a case where we got burned 3 times, the taxpayers bankrolled the research, we get the highest prices on the product/ drug Sovaldi for instance here in the world at $1000 a pill/ $84K per treatment, then this American company decides to be an Irish company to avoid even paying any tax in their home, the U.S. (another reason why these corporate drafted trade deals are a disaster to the member countries involved), some of the same folks that say they want us to be globally together and a big happy familia, when it comes to their interests only, some would even like to restrict our ability to buy what we want from where, as another country ... that is how twisted this is. This is why I point out throughout this journal how free market and business is being wiped out by some of these largest entities, and were basically getting bought out of everything we own, fund and discover ... from the researcher/ scientist to the common labourer.
They deserve to make a profit ... but having a CEO that's raking in $200 million annually, having us pay/ fund and develope everything, and just the combined tens of billions in annual profits for a handful of companies is not fair business or pricing, or even reasonable taxation ... this is a form of "racketeering" ... so call it for what it actually is. This is an economic virus to the taxpayers and consumers/ patients, we are even having our military veterans being taken advantage of in this, while also draining/ milking things like our Medicare system. This is also why when I talk to folks one on one about some of these things ... I say that we need to reform and start to utilize asset forfeiture laws we have (DOJ), why should it not apply to some corporations, CEO's, or even politicians that allow this? I had a fella tell me once that asset forfeiture and even imprisonment on these entities that I talk about to folks, seems like I am talking about some kind of "Robin Hood" thing, that takes from the rich or penalizes those with money ... NO, NOT AT ALL. I would not advocate penalizing anyone who earned decent wealth ... I think those who actually earn and contribute to society, deserve reward in fact ... so that's just a cheap argument to give me ... after all, did not the US Supreme Court say that "corporations are people" ? ... well then. The fact is, that this is even beyond civil law ... these actions fall into "criminal" by law ... how can you not make the case, that things like this dont fall into the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) category? Mainstream media and establishment flunky politics make fun of folks like Bernie Sanders, and say that he proposes things that are not possible, or even criticize legislation he drafts to combat things like this, people who say that nothing can be changed or done ... which is basically INSANITY! ... enough from me.
**** quote commonly credited to Einstein, but not proven it comes from him, still a great quote
***** HUFFINGTON POST/ BERNIE SANDERS: Taxpayers Funded A Lifesaving Drug And Guess What Happened Next ... (article/ newsread)
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***** PD/ RCJ: "PHARMACEUTICAL CASH COWS" ... PART'S 5 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "FROM THE FOXHOLE WITH BERNIE" ... PART'S 32 THRU 1
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY (my hand- selected music/ arts picks)
***** RCJ/ THOMAS PICKERING: GOOGLE+ (video posts)
***** THE RESISTANCE/ PERIL'S OF THE POWER POSSE (inspiration for hope & change) ... to be viewed as a "profit- see", not a "prophecy".
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2 comments:
Yeah, the pharmaceutical INDUSTRY. I swear people go to the doctor and get their pills and no one feels better. I stay away from doctors (mostly cuz I was married to one, but that's another story) You would not believe the things I have seen. I've worked in a Dementia Unit, and I have been in so many hospitals all over. All the creepy pharmaceutical adverts on the fright box. With their list of side effects. Truly strange. Yes, it's a racket and didn't Bush hand them that Medicare part D? Take your Statins and now I think they don't even work. It's like they are trying to poison us, for top dollar. Excellent post! Most people have no idea what really goes on with these companies especially in R&D.
Yes I believe it was Bush W (schrub) that signed that as far as the Medicare Part D scam ... any time either one of these left or right establishment party's slide through health care legislation these dayz, you can bet their corporate sponsors are going to be drafting the legislation. Creepy pharma adverts? ... yeah, the side effects are hilarious looking at some (but sad too), the thing is, there is hardly no record of research into side effects and damages until years after, and drugs now are peddled stronger than ever, there are so many new drugs coming out that even the doctors cant keep up with them. Geeeezz dear ... how weird ... you worked in dementia units? ... I mean ... I hope no one forgot to give you your paycheck (just kidding {:-) ... I dont know if I could be very good at that type of work ... I mean, it must be hard and a little frustrating. You were married to a doctor? ... well ... there can be a positive to that too ... at least having someone with experience in medicine/ health that close to you. But yes, I know that these companies are especially draining our government health subsidies and anything they can get their hands on ... it's a Hell of a racket. Thank You for your voice here Patricia ....
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