Profit VS. Cure
Many politicians are parasites dependent on the checkbook of big businesses and in the
health care industry, especially the pharmaceutical companies, are at the top of political
contribution lists. The drug companies deploy the majority of research and development dollars
towards the creation of new drugs to treat symptoms rather than working towards finding a cure.
For example, millions of Americans stricken with diabetes currently take a multitude of
medicines to regulate blood sugar that do not cure the disease, but treat the symptoms. These
medications delay the devastation of the disease, which ultimately results in kidney failure, loss
of vision, amputation of limbs, and eventually death. Instead of taking a portion of the billions of
dollars directed towards the pharmaceutical companies to provide a cure, more money is put
towards these “temporary” drugs. Why? A cure, although a potentially one-time costly
procedure, removes the ongoing profit stream from government and insurance company
subsidies paid to the drug companies for symptom treating prescription regiments.
The ethical issue here deals with a crooked government being controlled by big
businesses. A massive portion of the money made by pharmaceutical groups provides support for
various political factions and still, they simply want more money. Their profit, mostly provided
by the government through Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug payments, is used to sell
their products to the citizens as a quick fix. In 2012, 176 billon dollars was paid by Medicare and
Medicaid to treat the symptoms of diabetes (“Economic Costs of Diabetes”). Future generations
will look back with disbelief and be shocked this was tolerated, wondering why all of the
resources were used for a temporary fix as opposed to a permanent cure. Instead of fueling this
process, the government could be allocating taxpayers money towards government-sponsored
research. By removing the profit motivation, the sole goal of the program is to develop a cure.
The American society has been brainwashed for a quick fix and trained to take a pill that is
propagandized throughout commercials and the entire medical industry. For me, this becomes a
very personal issue. Whether it be a girl I dance with or many of my family members, those with
diabetes are slaves to test strips, insulin pumps, and new diet habits. I witness these people go
day by day knowing that tomorrow is just going to be the same routine without improvement. It
is not fair that people with these type of diseases just have to face the fact that as much as they
try, and as many medicines they take, they will never get better. How has our society become
okay with letting sickness win? The drug store shelves are full of symptom relieving solutions
with no reference to education, diet, or life style changes that may all together eliminate the
aliment.
People have come to accept the violation because these big businesses are really good at
developing medicines that alleviate the symptoms. The medical ads on television promote
prescriptions that are designed to help headaches, cold symptoms, drowsiness, bloating, etc.
Citizens are bombarded by extra strength, long lasting, and fast acting medicines. However, they
are all symptom based. The violators cover their tracts by using the fact that profits on Wall
Street benefit investors, there is job creation in the health care sector, and government candidates
that get elected to public office need donation. With the cure, more and more Americans refilling
prescriptions begins to slow, the constantly increasing revenue stream stops, and pharmaceutical
companies’ profits decline. In addition, people would lose jobs, as the necessity for some
professions would dissolve.
Overall, I am not a huge fan of big governments. However, this is a unique situation similar
to the security of our nation, wherein the solution for a cure can best be handled through a
government entity. The rational for this is based on the fact that it is not in the best interest of
capitalistic based companies to work towards a cure. The Department of Health should really be
in the cure business for the betterment of society. On tax forms, people have the option to donate
to political campaigns, and should also have the ability to donate money to the brightest minds in
the country to work for the Government towards a cure. My hope is that in 100 years, the
Department of Health is using their funds to find cures for devastating diseases that affect
millions of Americans each day.
Works Cited
“Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2012” DiabetesJournals.org. American Diabetes
Association, 2015. Web. 14 November 2015