Posted: 04 Aug 2009, 20:30
A vaccine is almost ready!
Call me paranoid, but I do believe that pharmaceutical industry needs a new flu here and there. PR and media can do many things, but this is all my imagination.stufarq wrote:Um why? The main difference is that we haven't had time to build up any resistance to swine flu.Back in time wrote:Better swine flu than standard flu that nobody mentions.
And "standard" flu gets mentioned quite a lot, usually with the statistics for the numbers who died in the last epidemic or the fact that current swine flu figures are pretty much on a par with average December flu cases.
You're paranoid.Back in time wrote:Call me paranoid, but...
Funnily enough there's an article in today's Independent about how ROCHE have persuaded the WHO to uphold their patent on Tamiflu and prevent poor countries from manufacturing cheaper copies. As these countries can't generally afford to buy Tamiflu, they could be very seriously affected by swine flu.markfiend wrote:You're paranoid.Back in time wrote:Call me paranoid, but...
What you're suggesting is that tens of thousands of doctors and scientists collude with "the pharmaceutical industry" (actually a large number of competing companies) in allowing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, and not one whistle-blower has ever shown up?
Oh lordy, it's the fat slags!Big Si wrote: Fancy a Harem Mr Blast
It's hard to see why pharmaceutical companies would bother with the huge investments they make in research unless they were allowed exclusive rights to make money from the drugs so developed. Hence drug patents.stufarq wrote:Funnily enough there's an article in today's Independent about how ROCHE have persuaded the WHO to uphold their patent on Tamiflu and prevent poor countries from manufacturing cheaper copies. As these countries can't generally afford to buy Tamiflu, they could be very seriously affected by swine flu.
The problem with capitalism is the capitalists.markfiend wrote:I think it's a fault with capitalism generally rather than with pharmaceutical companies in particular.
Nothing too wrong with upholding a patent, and at least it ensures that the people who get it are getting the genuine article rather than After Dinner Mints. I'd be interested in seeing if there is any hard evidence of poorer countries not getting Tamiflu (possibly at reduced rates?) or if it's just a conspiracy theory or sensationalist journalism.stufarq wrote:Funnily enough there's an article in today's Independent about how ROCHE have persuaded the WHO to uphold their patent on Tamiflu and prevent poor countries from manufacturing cheaper copies. As these countries can't generally afford to buy Tamiflu, they could be very seriously affected by swine flu.
According to the article (and, not having researched it, I'm not saying I believe or disbelieve it and would again draw attention to the author, for those familiar with his work) something similar happened with HIV drugs in South Africa, reuslting in an amendment to patenting laws whereby they could be suspended in an overwhelming healthcare emergency. Apparently the WHO doesn't consider swine flu to be one of those, which is interesting in itself. Some economist goes on to predict vast numbers of deaths because of lack of access to expensive drugs and Johann Hari looks grim in his photo. But then he always does.mh wrote:Nothing too wrong with upholding a patent, and at least it ensures that the people who get it are getting the genuine article rather than After Dinner Mints. I'd be interested in seeing if there is any hard evidence of poorer countries not getting Tamiflu (possibly at reduced rates?) or if it's just a conspiracy theory or sensationalist journalism.
A few thousand new students coming this September. I'll do my research on whether this is a viable plan and get back to you.Big Si wrote:All I can say is that once it mixes with the dreaded 'Glesga Lurgie' yeez ur aw fecked! Us Weegies will have to repopulate the world.
Aye this is true.Example: Nurofen: £2.19 for 16 tablets, generic no-name ibuprofen: 32p for 16 tablets.stufarq wrote:As for "genuine article rather than After Dinner Mints", I'm sure we all know that most competing drugs are more or less identical just with a different brand name. And it's the name that bumps the cost up. (And what's wrong with after dinner mints anyway? I'm rather partial to the odd After Eight.)
Thanks, I needed that.markfiend wrote:You're paranoid.Back in time wrote:Call me paranoid, but...
What you're suggesting is that tens of thousands of doctors and scientists collude with "the pharmaceutical industry" (actually a large number of competing companies) in allowing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, and not one whistle-blower has ever shown up?
Yes, Something like thatBartek wrote:i don't want to take his or your side but rumours repeated by talking heads in every kind of media, mass panic, and looking, by both of this mentioned before, for strong emotions, and greed what is a main part of human nature - yes that's about pharma. ind. - can turn some, ok real thing, but relatively small danger into something like we have now.
i'm not denying a facts but geez it's just a flu as we see many pipls survived this, and only things that it needs is regular treatment.
btw. did you heard about attack of black death in China ?
now that's a real story.
You're welcome.Back in time wrote:Thanks, I needed that.
Basically, what I am saying is that a marketing machine can make even the simple kind of flu look terrible in order to sell as much of the drugs in question. By the way, I also own a small supply of Tamiflu, although I was quite sure that I will never need it, but pressure was too strong and I am weak.
He knows less than he thinks. I've worked in the pharmaceutical industry for fifteen years and every compound, biological or vaccine I've ever worked on has come from privately funded sources. Those clinical trials aren't cheap either - I've just worked on one which followed a whole 10 patients for two weeks and cost £260,000.stufarq wrote:especially when the drugs companies don't (he says) actually pay for the research and development (government funded labs do) but only step in at the last minute to fund the manufacture, clinical trials and marketing - all important and expensive stuff but not actually creative and therefore not worthy of a patent.
Yes Bartek I did hear about that and the black death scares me much more than this flu.Bartek wrote: btw. did you heard about attack of black death in China ?
now that's a real story.