Obama Announces Re-election Bid

[Fair&Balanced]

Start with drug reimportation legislation that allows importing from Canada and EU, with regulatory safeguards to prevent import of counterfeits.

It has widespread, bi-partisan support but dies a quiet death every year:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill...19&tab=related

Unfortunately, even with bi-partisan support again this year, it will get loss in the shuffle.

and to close this out:

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Under TARP or the Stimulus #1 and #2?

Strictly ARRA (stimulus) - 1/3 tax cuts and tax relief (middle class and small business), 1/3 benefit increases (UI, COBRA extensions, etc) and 1/3 grants/contracts (job creation)

[Jill]

Originally Posted by glatt

The advertisements for drugs is pretty weird, and I would prefer it if they weren't on tv, but the argument in favor of them is that some consumers won't even know there is a drug that can help them unless those commercials exist.

I don't buy that argument at all. Men wouldn't know they have erectile dysfunction? People wouldn't know they have arthritis or asthma?

Here's how that "problem" fixes itself -- healthcare reform that pays for primary care so people will be able to get annual exams at a minimum. Let doctors diagnose, not Joe Schmoe sitting on his couch deciding he must have restless leg syndrome.

Replace a portion of drug advertising with PSAs that encourage people to see their doctor.

Originally Posted by glatt

I disagree with you on patents. The idea of a patent is that you invent something and then it's yours. You can keep other people from making that item until the patent expires. The tradeoff is that in the patent, you tell the world how you did it, so that once the patent has expired, human knowledge is advanced, and other people can build upon that invention. The term of a patent is only 20 years. If you take patent protection away from some people or companies, why in the world would they bother to invent anything? People are just going to steal their invention.

There are lots of drugs out there that are no longer covered by patents. I take generic claritin this time of year because my allergies act up. That patent expired a few years ago and that drug, which is quite helpful to me, is now available for my use for a very low price.

You missed the point of the linked story. That company didn't invent or create that drug. They hadn't even been manufacturing it. It was being done "on the side" by compounding pharmacies for $10 a pop. Then the government came in (with the support of March of Dimes, ftr) and assigned a drug company to start manufacturing that drug, prohibited the compounding pharmacies from doing it anymore, and the drug company, who had nothing whatsoever to do with developing that drug, jacked up the price to $1,500 a shot. How is that "free market"? How is that in any way, shape or form "fair"? Especially to the American taxpayer who's going to have to start picking up the $30 million dollar tab for this??

More later, but gotta run now. Hasta!

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Jill

You missed the point of the linked story.

I honestly didn't even read the story. I was responding to your comment: "Let's start by doing away with granting exclusive patents for drugs"

The whole point of patents is that they are exclusive for a limited amount of time.

Are drugs expensive? Yes. Do drug companies gouge consumers? Yes. I'm not sure how to fix that. Stifling innovation isn't the best way. (Not that there's a tremendous amount f innovation going on in the drug industry today.)

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Fair&Balanced

Strictly ARRA (stimulus) - 1/3 tax cuts and tax relief (middle class and small business), 1/3 benefit increases (UI, COBRA extensions, etc) and 1/3 grants/contracts (job creation)

Cool, and please tell us, exactly how much of that money has been let? 100%? 75%? 50%?