Snakeoil Investment on the Rise
(AP) LONDON "Within the next 25 years, AIDS is set to join heart disease and stroke as the top three causes of death worldwide, according to a study published online Monday. When global mortality projections were last calculated a decade ago, researchers had assumed the number of AIDS cases would be declining. Instead, it's on the rise."
(Bloomberg) -- "The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has more money to spend fighting AIDS and other global health menaces this year, partly because of better returns from its investments in U.S. drug companies. The gain illustrates a symbiosis between the foundation and drug companies. In backing programs to fight disease, the charity is, indirectly, a buyer of medicines. It boosts the fortunes of drugmakers -- and how they fare, in turn, helps determine how fast the foundation grows."
LONDON March 2006 - "Former President Bill Clinton on Tuesday called for mandatory testing for HIV/AIDS in countries with high infection rates and the means to provide lifesaving drugs. Since leaving the White House Clinton has devoted much of his attention to getting anti-AIDS drugs to poor countries at the cheapest possible prices through the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative."
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is poised to issue new recommendations for testing for HIV in adults, adolescents, and pregnant women. Frustrated that more than 25 percent of Americans with HIV infection are unaware of their status and that almost 40 percent of those with newly diagnosed AIDS discover that they are infected less than a year before diagnosis, officials have proposed that HIV screening be routinely offered in all health care settings.
--- There's discussion in my state of mandatory AIDS/HIV testing to acquire a driver license, at an "affordable" fee of course. REVENUE and mo' money for TPTB. It's time for that bird flu epidemic too.
Geeze, I can remember when cancer was the disease they swore to conquer and cure. Aren't we overdue for another "breakthrough" miracle drug that doesn't live up to its promise? That reminds me, I've never had a flu shot - and have never had the flu. Go figure.
2 comments:
Investors watch Eli Lilly shares drop $2.80 post election.
My issue is Zyprexa which is only FDA approved for schizophrenia (.5-1% of pop) and some bipolar (2% pop) and then an even smaller percentage of theses two groups.
So how does Zyprexa get to be the 7th largest drug sale in the world?
Eli Lilly is in deep trouble for using their drug reps to 'encourage' doctors to write zyprexa for non-FDA approved 'off label' uses.
The drug causes increased diabetes risk,and medicare picks up all the expensive fallout.There are now 7 states (and counting) going after Lilly for fraud and restitution.
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Daniel Haszard
My biggest issue are the preschoolers, children, and adolescents on anti-depressants and ADD/ADHD type drugs, often in conjunction with other medication, i.e. hypertensive drugs as some children develop high blood pressure on ADD/ADHD drugs.
We have produced a generation of physicians who know little about medicine other than the mechanics of the prescription pad.
For every fraud/restitution case filed there are dozens that should be filed but won't be. And many that will be "settled" with attorneys raking in the bulk of the award and state pols getting nice campaign contributions or board jobs when they retire.
The FDA is another organized joke (unfunny one) which the public funds to watch over what's good for us.
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