How do you spell h-u-b-r-i-s?
America is a country whose health system is in tatters. With the highest per capita spending in the world it also has the highest rate of citizens without access to basic healthcare. So should we be surprised that, shortly after a fairly considerable whipping at the polls, the White House sends a deputy health secretary to pressure the UK government to introduce "free market" reforms that would allow US pharmaceutical companies unfettered access?
Alex Azar claims that the UK's process whereby NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) makes decisions based on efficacy and cost as to what drugs and treatments the NHS will provide drives up the cost to UK taxpayers. Remember that that US per capita spending on health care is over twice as high as in the UK but that the UK provides free, universal access. Mr. Azar also wants to Britain to allow drug companies to market directly to consumers and not just to physicians. After all it works so well in America.
Mr. Azar also wanted to offer government advice on the use of private insurance in conjunction with state provision.
On flip side of the coin we also learn today that drug companies are still blocking access in poorer countries in spite of a resolution adopted by the WTO five years ago that allows countries to put public health above patent rights.
Mr. Anzar please just go home. You sound more like a commerce secretary than a health secretary anyway.
America is a country whose health system is in tatters. With the highest per capita spending in the world it also has the highest rate of citizens without access to basic healthcare. So should we be surprised that, shortly after a fairly considerable whipping at the polls, the White House sends a deputy health secretary to pressure the UK government to introduce "free market" reforms that would allow US pharmaceutical companies unfettered access?
Alex Azar claims that the UK's process whereby NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) makes decisions based on efficacy and cost as to what drugs and treatments the NHS will provide drives up the cost to UK taxpayers. Remember that that US per capita spending on health care is over twice as high as in the UK but that the UK provides free, universal access. Mr. Azar also wants to Britain to allow drug companies to market directly to consumers and not just to physicians. After all it works so well in America.
Mr. Azar also wanted to offer government advice on the use of private insurance in conjunction with state provision.
On flip side of the coin we also learn today that drug companies are still blocking access in poorer countries in spite of a resolution adopted by the WTO five years ago that allows countries to put public health above patent rights.
Mr. Anzar please just go home. You sound more like a commerce secretary than a health secretary anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment