Comments on: Trading freedom for government-sponsored healthcare

By: IVF-MD

IVF-MD — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:32:21 +0000

I also believe that drug companies don’t publish all the data that are unflattering to their product. But let’s ask this: If a drug company makes claims in an ad that their product is going to miraculously relieve all my woes or if an aftershave company makes claims in an ad that splashing their product on my face will drive women crazy, is that in any way forcing me to use their product? Personally, you can throw all the diet pill ads at me that you want, but I’m still going to exercise and eat sensibly. Who can we blame if we as consumers fail to think intelligently when assessing the veracity of advertising? Is it our own fault for being stupid or the fault of our country’s educational system for failing to teach us how not to be stupid?

By: Kami

Kami — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:59:04 +0000

“Is it really fair for someone to get roaring drunk, fall and break his bones and then consume thousands of dollars of medical care for his orthopedic care when it could have been avoided by him just not being so reckless?”

I agree that is an important question – one in which I am undecided.

“Bear in mind that we are not unhealthy because of poor healthcare. We are unhealthy because of abundant calories and leisure.”

I don’t entirely agree with this statement. For example, there is ample evidence that drug companies don’t publish results that are not in favor of their drug. We may be using drugs that are not only not beneficial but actually cause harm. There is also the question of direct advertising to consumers. Why should I exercise to help relieve my restless leg syndrome (something that helps me) when I can just take a drug for it? What if the latest gadget to measure the health of our bodies causes long term damage? Who is studying that? Not the gadget producers.

I won’t disagree that our typical American lifestyle contributes the problem, but I don’t think that is the only culprit.

By: IVF-MD

IVF-MD — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:27:35 +0000

Unfortunately it is impossible for healthcare to be without cost to society. When people get sick and seek healthcare, they consume a certain number of hours of labor from doctors, nurses, the ancillary staff of the hospital, the scientists who did research developing the drugs and equipment and the construction crew who built the facilities. How do you persuade all these people to give up their hours of labor for free, especially if this is their livelihood? Somebody has to pay for it. The debate then turns into one of who will be responsible for paying for it. But THIS specific article addresses the degree of responsibility that potential patients must themselves bear. Is it really fair for someone to get roaring drunk, fall and break his bones and then consume thousands of dollars of medical care for his orthopedic care when it could have been avoided by him just not being so reckless? That is the question society must decide.

Bear in mind that we are not unhealthy because of poor healthcare. We are unhealthy because of abundant calories and leisure.

By: Kami

Kami — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:51:15 +0000

I just can’t believe that we don’t have enough knowledge and intelligence in this country to provide health care for everyone. Maybe it isn’t free, maybe it isn’t perfect, but we ought to do better than what we do now.

We have the highest health care costs of any industrialized nation and yet we are one of the unhealthiest nations. (From the book Overdosed America). Surely, we can do better than that. Perhaps it is time to put health above profit.