This freaking sucks

[Ladyfingers]

So, most of my family (including me) lacks health insurance, which, I'm sure you all know, rather sucks. My brother pierced his nipple in jail (not the brightest idea, but what is done is done) and now he is out and might have an infection or something. I haven't seen it but apparently there is a lump and the nipple is oozing supposedly clearish liquid. We really aren't sure what to do because we don't have the cash to take him to the doctor and buy antibiotics but we're a bit freaked because there was a staph infection going around the jail.
I guess I am not really asking for any advice, really, more I just want to get it off my chest. These types of situations make me so mad. He (or even me I guess for that matter) can't get state supported health insurance (we live in Southern California) because he doesn't have kids and he has a job, but he doesn't make enough to afford to go to see a doctor.
errr.

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[ms2007plz]

A lot of county hospitals (at least in CA) have special rates/programs for the uninsured, he may want to check those out...

 

[crazy_cavalier]

Maybe try a free clinic if there are any in your area. There are also some physicians who serve indigent populations at a flat-rate fee. I know of one clinic in particular where you could walk in with $20 (flat rate) and see a doc for a basic consult if you lacked health insurance.

It would be wise to monitor the progress of your brother's health. Hopefully it wont turn into anything serious.

 

[cgscribe]

Get seen. MRSA is nothing to mess around with.

 

[DrDrew]

Get seen. MRSA is nothing to mess around with.

X10...

Plus, so he gets a really really bad infection, and ends up in an ICU for a week and a half....you don't even want me to tell you how much just the bed his ass is sitting on costs per night...You could get a suite in the Ritz-C for a fraction of it. Plus meds, plus crap food, and on and on.

Get him checked, "free" clinics are cheap...so are antibiotics, go to walmart and the the $1 deal or w/e.

 

[TMP-SMX]

If he starts to have a fever he seriously needs help. Systemic infections are not good. Need to clean it out with hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol. Go to a doctor... Could turn into necrotizing fasciitis or some other massive inflammatory disease.

 

[PhantomfanMD]

So, most of my family (including me) lacks health insurance, which, I'm sure you all know, rather sucks. My brother pierced his nipple in jail (not the brightest idea, but what is done is done) and now he is out and might have an infection or something. I haven't seen it but apparently there is a lump and the nipple is oozing supposedly clearish liquid. We really aren't sure what to do because we don't have the cash to take him to the doctor and buy antibiotics but we're a bit freaked because there was a staph infection going around the jail.
I guess I am not really asking for any advice, really, more I just want to get it off my chest. These types of situations make me so mad. He (or even me I guess for that matter) can't get state supported health insurance (we live in Southern California) because he doesn't have kids and he has a job, but he doesn't make enough to afford to go to see a doctor.
errr.

No offense but that's just his own fault. It's not like he was beaten to within an inch of his life and has life threatening injuries as a result. Those types of cases are much more upsetting if a person would be refused treatment which I would hope would not be the case. In the meantime, get him to go see a doctor.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

SDN is not the place to seek medical advice. Please consult a doctor.

Oh, and smack your brother upside the head for me. Hard. Preferably with something heavy.

 

[myleghurts]

SDN is not the place to seek medical advice. Please consult a doctor.

Oh, and smack your brother upside the head for me. Hard. Preferably with something heavy.

The OP wasn't seeking medical advice. And although piercing yourself isn't the smartest thing, it is common for people to do.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

The OP wasn't seeking medical advice. And although piercing yourself isn't the smartest thing, it is common for people to do.

It's been a long day.....I misread the OP's post. My bad.

But I must say her brother is a great example of how the main purposes of medicine isn't to save lives....it's to prove Darwin was wrong.

 

[tncekm]

Yeah, tell him to go see a doc ASAP and just to pay the $100 for the visit. He was the idiot who pierced his nipple in jail, why the hell should anyone else pay for it? LOL

And, make sure he goes. He doesn't want to develop a case of cellulitis.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I'd be far more worried about hepatitis than some kind of dermal infection.

 

[tncekm]

Good point.

I wonder where the hell the tool used for the piercing has been? Nasty...he better get checked for all kinds of illnesses.

 

[mintendo]

I didn't even know they had piercing services in jail.

 

[tncekm]

I didn't even know they had piercing services in jail.

Anything and everything you want done in jail can and will happen. If they can do tatoo's they can pierce.

 

[whykiki]

So, most of my family (including me) lacks health insurance, which, I'm sure you all know, rather sucks. My brother pierced his nipple in jail (not the brightest idea, but what is done is done) and now he is out and might have an infection or something. I haven't seen it but apparently there is a lump and the nipple is oozing supposedly clearish liquid. We really aren't sure what to do because we don't have the cash to take him to the doctor and buy antibiotics but we're a bit freaked because there was a staph infection going around the jail.
I guess I am not really asking for any advice, really, more I just want to get it off my chest. These types of situations make me so mad. He (or even me I guess for that matter) can't get state supported health insurance (we live in Southern California) because he doesn't have kids and he has a job, but he doesn't make enough to afford to go to see a doctor.
errr.

Um.. op, don't you have close friends or relatives to share these VERY personal and private information? Granted, we all hide behind a monitor and we like to think we're totally anonymous here but pre-med forums are not ideal for the emotional support that your situation requires. Go to a trustworthy friend with this and leave these boards open for people who need support because of rejections, holds, waitlists, gpa's, mcats, etc.

 

[MirrorTodd]

Tell him to get arrested again. Inmates get free health insurance. Just for something petty where he'll get like 2-6 months.

 

[Cirrus83]

Find a local community health center...usually there's very affordable healthcare available.

And in reality even any old physician you could probably barter with, to see them at a decent enough price. Most simple visist don't really cost that much money, just make sure you bargain with them a bit lol.

 

[akinf]

This is seriously F*CKED UP. The idea that a person has to worry about how much its going to cost to get treatment for an illness. I mean doesn't everyone have the RIGHT to live. If getting medical attention is required to fulfill that, then should all means be made easily available to ensure that. This is why I am staying in Canada where I can walk in for free, even for a BS cold a dog could diagnose. *shakes head*

 

[ShyRem]

pierced in jail with what? something that had pierced a thousand other inmates? tell him to go get a free hiv test too. Many communities have a free clinic that offers services on sliding scale. Take advantage of it.

 

[tncekm]

This is seriously F*CKED UP. The idea that a person has to worry about how much its going to cost to get treatment for an illness. I mean doesn't everyone have the RIGHT to live. If getting medical attention is required to fulfill that, then should all means be made easily available to ensure that. This is why I am staying in Canada where I can walk in for free, even for a BS cold a dog could diagnose. *shakes head*

Refer to Charle's Darwins "The Origin of the Species". You'll better understand why this guy who had his nipple pierced w/ disgusting equipment in jail shouldn't get free health care--natural selection is your first hint.

 

[tncekm]

This is seriously F*CKED UP. The idea that a person has to worry about how much its going to cost to get treatment for an illness. I mean doesn't everyone have the RIGHT to live. If getting medical attention is required to fulfill that, then should all means be made easily available to ensure that. This is why I am staying in Canada where I can walk in for free, even for a BS cold a dog could diagnose. *shakes head*

Its not FREE you idiot. I already did the calculations on it, and at the rate you're taxed for health care its actually about 2% more expensive to be insured in Canada. When the government steals your money, that doesn't mean it wasn't spent.

 

[akademiks1989]

Don't take him to the doctor. Make him learn his lesson. Why the hell did he pierce his nipple in jail might I ask?

And just playing, take him to the doctor.

 

[jayhawk07]

"natural selection?" are you serious? you are talking to someone about her (his?) brother! i think it is obvious that one of the least helpful and necessary things this situation needs is an inconsiderate kick in the nuts.

 

[swooptheeagle]

Its not FREE you idiot. I already did the calculations on it, and at the rate you're taxed for health care its actually about 2% more expensive to be insured in Canada. When the government steals your money, that doesn't mean it wasn't spent.

...
They're not stealing anything..it's part of their health care system. You're right; it's not free b/c health care comes from your taxes, but at least their health care provides universal access. Besides, how do you do calculations, and how can you make such a statement that it's 2% more expensive? Did you factor in the administrative costs that plague ~31 cents for every dollar spent on health care in the United States? Did you factor in that Canada's health care taxing is progressive (higher income ppl pay higher tax), unlike the U.S., where their private sector system is regressive and based on experience rating, which is why the poor (the sickest) suffer the most?

 

[8744]

So, most of my family (including me) lacks health insurance, which, I'm sure you all know, rather sucks. My brother pierced his nipple in jail (not the brightest idea, but what is done is done) and now he is out and might have an infection or something. I haven't seen it but apparently there is a lump and the nipple is oozing supposedly clearish liquid. We really aren't sure what to do because we don't have the cash to take him to the doctor and buy antibiotics but we're a bit freaked because there was a staph infection going around the jail.
I guess I am not really asking for any advice, really, more I just want to get it off my chest. These types of situations make me so mad. He (or even me I guess for that matter) can't get state supported health insurance (we live in Southern California) because he doesn't have kids and he has a job, but he doesn't make enough to afford to go to see a doctor.
errr.

You're a troll. If your family doesn't care enough to kick in a little money to pay for your idiot brother's doctor visit then why should the people of California care? What's it going to cost? 100 bucks? 150?

Or, he can just do what everybody else does when paying for thier irregular pleasures is more important than their health: Go to his friendly neighborhood Emergency Department and we'll see him for free. He might have to wait but he'll probably even get free antibiotics out of it.

My heart bleeds.

 

[8744]

So, most of my family (including me) lacks health insurance, which, I'm sure you all know, rather sucks. My brother pierced his nipple in jail (not the brightest idea, but what is done is done) and now he is out and might have an infection or something. I haven't seen it but apparently there is a lump and the nipple is oozing supposedly clearish liquid. We really aren't sure what to do because we don't have the cash to take him to the doctor and buy antibiotics but we're a bit freaked because there was a staph infection going around the jail.
I guess I am not really asking for any advice, really, more I just want to get it off my chest. These types of situations make me so mad. He (or even me I guess for that matter) can't get state supported health insurance (we live in Southern California) because he doesn't have kids and he has a job, but he doesn't make enough to afford to go to see a doctor.
errr.

This is not exactly the kind of case I'd use to generate support for socialized medicine. Just an FYI. "Vote for me so ex-cons can get free antibiotics for staph infections they picked up in prison from self-mutilation."

It just doesn't flow.

 

[tncekm]

...
They're not stealing anything..it's part of their health care system. You're right; it's not free b/c health care comes from your taxes, but at least their health care provides universal access. Besides, how do you do calculations, and how can you make such a statement that it's 2% more expensive? Did you factor in the administrative costs that plague ~31 cents for every dollar spent on health care in the United States? Did you factor in that Canada's health care taxing is progressive (higher income ppl pay higher tax), unlike the U.S., where their private sector system is regressive and based on experience rating, which is why the poor (the sickest) suffer the most?

Its very easy--you take the percentage of income that is removed via taxes for health care in canada and compare that to the average family's cost of health care in the US.

Just compare the two ratios--the only tricky part is converting from one currency to another, and that's just a little bit on the easy side.

And, its stealing IMO, because you don't have a choice.

And if you think the US system is regressive you're even more uninformed that I previously thought. The top 5 percentile, with respect to income, pay almost 50% of the US taxes. Poor people don't pay taxes, they DO GET FREE HEALTHCARE, they get food stamps, welfare, etc, etc.

 

[tncekm]

This is not exactly the kind of case I'd use to generate support for socialized medicine. Just an FYI. "Vote for me so ex-cons can get free antibiotics for staph infections they picked up in prison from self-mutilation."

It just doesn't flow.

Well Panda Bear, you're obviously not one of the elite "enlightened" types now are ya? Their addiction is a real medical condition--its not their fault, its ours! We did it to them! :sad:

 

[MaximusD]

looks like Panda is a bit of a repub

BTW, nice blog Panda.

 

[tncekm]

I wouldn't say he's a repub, per se, but I would say he isn't afraid to know and hear the "sad" truth about humanity. (His heart doesn't really bleed, he was lying He's got a heart made of black coal )

 

[mshollywoodmd]

Tell him to get arrested again. Inmates get free health insurance. Just for something petty where he'll get like 2-6 months.

Fun-nee! Unless he is on his third strike but then he can mutilate himself for the rest of his life for free. Decisions, Decisions.

Not to be insensitive but in this particular situation your lack of insurance should be the least of your worries. You stated your brother had a job so he should be able to pay the sliding fee that is usually in place at community health clinics or as Panda suggested hit the ER...err not hit in the sense that your brother may be used to....I meant go to the ER.

By the way didn't your brother learn anything from the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction....pierced nipples can get you in alot of trouble although I'm sure his cellmate found it appealing.

 

[8744]

looks like Panda is a bit of a repub

BTW, nice blog Panda.

Are you kidding? I am Mr. Republican. And about as conservative as you can get although I do agree with my liberal friends on a few issues.

Like I have said on my blog, we need liberals to make sure the truly needy get help and conservatives to make sure that we're not supporting deadbeats and free-loaders. Rewarding stupidity and encouraging bad life-decisions as we do when we attempt to remove the penalty from them should be neither a Republican or a Democratic issue but one of common sense.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Are you kidding? I am Mr. Republican. And about as conservative as you can get although I do agree with my liberal friends on a few issues.

Like I have said on my blog, we need liberals to make sure the truly needy get help and conservatives to make sure that we're not supporting deadbeats and free-loaders. Rewarding stupidity and encouraging bad life-decisions as we do when we attempt to remove the penalty from them should be neither a Republican or a Democratic issue but one of common sense.

Right... All those people that enjoy their lives on welfare. We need to stop making them live lives of luxury so that they stop their free loading tendencies with convertibles and nice homes.

Whether the government or some other group of people provide aid to the poor is another issue, but when society as a whole decreases spending to charity someone is suffering because of it.

 

[tncekm]

Right... All those people that enjoy their lives on welfare. We need to stop making them live lives of luxury so that they stop their free loading tendencies with convertibles and nice homes.

Whether the government or some other group of people provide aid to the poor is another issue, but when society as a whole decreases spending to charity someone is suffering because of it.

Rich-boy, you've never lived the lives of a poor folk, don't assume its as bad as they make it out to be when they blame society for thier lack of success. I come from a family where the IRS probably has a picture of my dad on the wall. I am by no means "privleged", yet I never was victim to these supposed "inequities" you speak of. I worked hard, and I'm getting somewhere.

Being poor isn't an excuse for being an excuse making fool.

 

[8744]

Right... All those people that enjoy their lives on welfare. We need to stop making them live lives of luxury so that they stop their free loading tendencies with convertibles and nice homes.

Whether the government or some other group of people provide aid to the poor is another issue, but when society as a whole decreases spending to charity someone is suffering because of it.

Well, that's the mentality right there, namely the assumption that just because somebody is not living a life of luxury they need the public to help them out. Also that it is the job of government to alleviate suffering, even if it is self-inflicted and even if the very methods used for its ameleoration contribute to the problem.

 

[tncekm]

I'm telling ya, rich kids are in a worse position than poor kids. The ignorance of the self-loathing rich liberal kids is just astounding. If they ever lived the life of a normal person, who wasn't sheltered from reality, they may just appreciate hard work instead of hating themselves.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I'm not saying that being "poor", however that is defined, makes a person hate himself. If you grow up without money, you will be content to live with things that are more important such as family. However, when health insurance is not available through the job, it damages the thing of importance, namely the health of the family. Responsibility and hard-work are very important, but without tools to succeed such as education and the extended family that is important to the cultural identity of most cultures, it is unlikely to lead to high standards and self-determination. Community needs to play a more important role. It's not always about this extraordinary individual breaking away from the mold. Anyway, there is no need to attack me for my opinion. It's merely an opinion and neither right nor wrong. You have your own and that is why you should state it and support it with why you believe it.

 

[lpressley130]

So, most of my family (including me) lacks health insurance, which, I'm sure you all know, rather sucks. My brother pierced his nipple in jail (not the brightest idea, but what is done is done) and now he is out and might have an infection or something. I haven't seen it but apparently there is a lump and the nipple is oozing supposedly clearish liquid. We really aren't sure what to do because we don't have the cash to take him to the doctor and buy antibiotics but we're a bit freaked because there was a staph infection going around the jail.
I guess I am not really asking for any advice, really, more I just want to get it off my chest. These types of situations make me so mad. He (or even me I guess for that matter) can't get state supported health insurance (we live in Southern California) because he doesn't have kids and he has a job, but he doesn't make enough to afford to go to see a doctor.
errr.

Call ahead of time, tell them your situation - even if it's the ER. Work out a payment plan with the hospital's financial services department. Also, ask the doc if they can give samples because you don't/he doesn't have prescription coverage. I've been there and done that. I live in PA and there are individual coverage plans offered by Blue Shield. Also, if you search the Internet, you will be able to find companies like Blue Shield, Aetna, etc. offering coverage at reasonable rates. He can also call those companies to see what they offer. Some coverage is better than no coverage. Also, I have no interest in disparaging your brother for his unwise acts, but he has to take responsbility for those unwise acts. He may need to get a second job to pay off his medical bills - maybe that will keep him out of trouble and remind him to take care of himself.

 

[tncekm]

I'm not saying that being "poor", however that is defined, makes a person hate himself. If you grow up without money, you will be content to live with things that are more important such as family. However, when health insurance is not available through the job, it damages the thing of importance, namely the health of the family. Responsibility and hard-work are very important, but without tools to succeed such as education and the extended family that is important to the cultural identity of most cultures, it is unlikely to lead to high standards and self-determination. Community needs to play a more important role. It's not always about this extraordinary individual breaking away from the mold. Anyway, there is no need to attack me for my opinion. It's merely an opinion and neither right nor wrong. You have your own and that is why you should state it and support it with why you believe it.

I don't think its an extraordinary attribute to break away from the mold. I saw enough of it happen in one place that I'd hardly call it an exception to the rule--likewise, I also see people of privilege taking a big turn down hill. I don't think the poor stay down so much, I think there is an equilibrium here. It just so happens the rate of well of to poor and poor to well off is matched, and we thereby assume that poor stay poor. (Again, I'm not trying to say that there is a higher probability for poor to stay poor and rich to stay rich, just saying monetary inequality isn't the root of this problem.)

 

[8744]

I'm not saying that being "poor", however that is defined, makes a person hate himself. If you grow up without money, you will be content to live with things that are more important such as family. However, when health insurance is not available through the job, it damages the thing of importance, namely the health of the family. Responsibility and hard-work are very important, but without tools to succeed such as education and the extended family that is important to the cultural identity of most cultures, it is unlikely to lead to high standards and self-determination. Community needs to play a more important role. It's not always about this extraordinary individual breaking away from the mold. Anyway, there is no need to attack me for my opinion. It's merely an opinion and neither right nor wrong. You have your own and that is why you should state it and support it with why you believe it.

Home boy has got an infected nipple from an episode of self-mutilation in prison. As an Emergency Medicine resident, I will be happy and proud to treat him but fer cryin' out loud, let's not pretend he is a victim. I bet he has a few vices he could give up to afford some Keflex. And he would, too, except his health care is not important enough to him where he will take any effort to secure it except working hard to get somebody else to pay for it.

And your opinion is wrong, based as it is on a faulty assessment of the problem.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I don't think its an extraordinary attribute to break away from the mold. I saw enough of it happen in one place that I'd hardly call it an exception to the rule--likewise, I also see people of privilege taking a big turn down hill. I don't think the poor stay down so much, I think there is an equilibrium here. It just so happens the rate of well of to poor and poor to well off is matched, and we thereby assume that poor stay poor. (Again, I'm not trying to say that there is a higher probability for poor to stay poor and rich to stay rich, just saying monetary inequality isn't the root of this problem.)

We need to stop having the same conversation in multiple threads...

Anyway, I think it also has to do with a squeeze on the middle class of this country. Proportionately, they pay a majority of the taxes and have to spend more on the "necessities" of life. Money makes money for the rich, and when you are living paycheck to paycheck, things can and do go wrong. This is why health care is such a huge issue. Pharmaceutical costs are skyrocketing and yet they are doing far less research and development and more advertising. While that is a whole separate issue, health care access is a huge part of the middle class question.

 

[8744]

Hey, some people are going to be working at crappy, low-paying jobs for their entire lives. That's just the way it is. What a lot of you want is for the gubmint' to guarantee people a life full of richness and meaning but seeing that many successful people also lack these things you can file that wish under "pipe dreams."

You have just got to accpet that the highest many people will ever get or even aspire is assistant night manager at Taco Bell.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Hey, some people are going to be working at crappy, low-paying jobs for their entire lives. That's just the way it is. What a lot of you want is for the gubmint' to guarantee people a life full of richness and meaning but seeing that many successful people also lack these things you can file that wish under "pipe dreams."

You have just got to accpet that the highest many people will ever get or even aspire is assistant night manager at Taco Bell.

Richness is a term that has a variable definition. If you have enough family support it is not about the amount of money you can rake in yourself. We don't put enough value on family, and somehow money has replaced it. People can and do live happy lives working these jobs. They take what they can from it and construct their own perception of reality. Then again, it's what all of the workaholics do in their high level management positions buying high priced homes and cars to replace the emptiness and lack of meaning in their lives. We are addicted to money in this society, and it is poison.

 

[tncekm]

We need to stop having the same conversation in multiple threads...

Anyway, I think it also has to do with a squeeze on the middle class of this country. Proportionately, they pay a majority of the taxes and have to spend more on the "necessities" of life. Money makes money for the rich, and when you are living paycheck to paycheck, things can and do go wrong. This is why health care is such a huge issue. Pharmaceutical costs are skyrocketing and yet they are doing far less research and development and more advertising. While that is a whole separate issue, health care access is a huge part of the middle class question.

They don't pay the majority of taxes, the top 5 percentile of earners pays about 50%

I do research in a lab that has a lot of grad students who also work for large biotech companies. Its not that we're spending less money researching and more on advertising, its that the drugs cost billions to make, and they're hard to get approved by the FDA.

I am in biotech valley here, and I attend biotech meetings on a weekly basis I know they're working hard, and trying to keep costs down. Again, its very hard when it costs billions of dollars to make a kilogram of drug.

 

[8744]

We need to stop having the same conversation in multiple threads...

Anyway, I think it also has to do with a squeeze on the middle class of this country. Proportionately, they pay a majority of the taxes and have to spend more on the "necessities" of life. Money makes money for the rich, and when you are living paycheck to paycheck, things can and do go wrong. This is why health care is such a huge issue. Pharmaceutical costs are skyrocketing and yet they are doing far less research and development and more advertising. While that is a whole separate issue, health care access is a huge part of the middle class question.

No no no. People in the middle class pay very little in income taxes. I know because I used to be in the middle class and with a few kids and a deduction here and a deduction there, we usually ended owing very little and even got most of our taxes back in the "refund." Additionally, most of the people in the lower-middle class can get free health insurance for their kids. In my state, the income cut-off was $34,000 per year for a family of four. Everybody who has any hobbies-and my neighbors in the trailer parks all had bass boats, trucks, hunting paraphenalia, and sundry other luxuries including cable, booze, and cigarettes-could easily afford a major medical policy except that there is an inexplicable mental block when it comes to paying for health care, something we all agree is very important and ranks only under food, shelter, and clothing.

A can of snuff costs four dollars. A pack of cigarettes the same. A case of beer is about 12 bucks. Cable is 50 a month but many people spend close to a hundred for the premium package that they have to have. Some weed here and there, some fast food. Gas for the boat. A deer stand. A four-wheeler. These things add up but they are viewed as "must haves" while antibiotics and a yearly physical are luxuries.

 

[8744]

Richness is a term that has a variable definition. If you have enough family support it is not about the amount of money you can rake in yourself. We don't put enough value on family, and somehow money has replaced it. People can and do live happy lives working these jobs. They take what they can from it and construct their own perception of reality. Then again, it's what all of the workaholics do in their high level management positions buying high priced homes and cars to replace the emptiness and lack of meaning in their lives. We are addicted to money in this society, and it is poison.

Well, duh. But the social welfare paradigm has made the family redundant. If you can't see this then you are blind.

 

[tncekm]

I second that. My parents usually get money back. I yell at them all the time to make changes in priority that would make their lives easier, they just don't.

 

[TMP-SMX]

They don't pay the majority of taxes, the top 5 percentile of earners pays about 50%

I do research in a lab that has a lot of grad students who also work for large biotech companies. Its not that we're spending less money researching and more on advertising, its that the drugs cost billions to make, and they're hard to get approved by the FDA.

I am in biotech valley here, and I attend biotech meetings on a weekly basis I know they're working hard, and trying to keep costs down. Again, its very hard when it costs billions of dollars to make a kilogram of drug.

I understand how small biotech companies could have problems funding everything. Large pharmaceuticals have no reason to cry about their costs when they more than make up for it in sales and high prices. Maybe if they had a little originality they would have higher sales instead of using the same drug over and over and changing a single molecule and calling it new.

I think you missed my point about proportionately paying more of taxes. The middle class doesn't pay as much by far, but individually, it is more of the cost of living that is paid into the system. As for all of these tax refunds that are given, corruption gives far more tax refunds to those with the money and corporations.

 

[DrBowtie]

I understand how small biotech companies could have problems funding everything. Large pharmaceuticals have no reason to cry about their costs when they more than make up for it in sales and high prices. Maybe if they had a little originality they would have higher sales instead of using the same drug over and over and changing a single molecule and calling it new.

I think you missed my point about proportionately paying more of taxes. The middle class doesn't pay as much by far, but individually, it is more of the cost of living that is paid into the system. As for all of these tax refunds that are given, corruption gives far more tax refunds to those with the money and corporations.

Probably because they are living above their means.