Skip to main content

so called compassion

I don't wax politically philosophical often but today I read yet another conservative leaning piece justifying the ever increasing profit margins of the pharmaceutical industry, citing the favorite argument. Namely, without the monetary incentive the greatest minds would look elsewhere to spend their time and energy which would in turn only harm the sickest among us. The incentives are needed to develop new life-saving treatments. It's really compassion, see? 


As I processed the article, the following thoughts began to crystallize in my heart.


Historically, some of the greatest minds were drawn towards medicine not because of its monetary value, but its virtuous. It was Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, who encouraged his students to treat all peoples the same, making no distinction between friend and foe, rich and poor. "Sometimes give your services for nothing," he advocated. Perhaps this shift away from wanting to do good for personal growth towards wanting to do good for personal gain is a reflection of the intrinsic moral change happening within our borders. A growing sense of deep selfishness is on display in every direction, including within the health care industry. As the parent of a child with a rare disease, this trend is frightening and grieving. Is that an emotional response? Perhaps. The talking heads would certainly accuse me so. Yet, I know of at least one pharmaceutical company which purchased the rights to a drug they did not develop and proceeded to use (or abuse) these so-called incentives to go on and develop precisely nothing. Then they cashed out. This is factual data, not emotion. I am prone to believe they cannot be alone in their business model. Spare me the "this if for the good of the sick children" and your "limited perspective" speeches until a cure for rare epilepsy is discovered. Currently, the closest we've come to that end hasn't been found in the well-incentivized pharmaceutical industry. Look west, towards the Rockies where the medical refugees have flocked. Or up, to the OR where a neuro-surgeon is performing radical brain surgery for a fraction of the cost of some of these drugs. 


This "the cost is compassion" argument highlights one of the reasons why I have been slowly walking away from mainstream conservatism. I cannot align myself with a party that can justify this kind of manipulation of the system while winking and telling me it's for my child. It is the utmost hypocrisy to claim pro-life allegiance while the child is in the womb, only to abandon him when he is born with a rare disease. Clearly, I am an emotional parent with limited perspective to believe that the health of a civilization encompasses more than its profit margins. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

No, I don’t know him personally

  I’ve had several emails today asking if I know Mike W. of Marissa’s Bunny personally.    Trevy’s blog was linked on her site.  Although it’s not now.     I’ve posted here and there at his request.  Because…well…we’re a community.  Us IS families.  And Marissa is wicked cute.  Her daddy has a way with words.  Also who wouldn’t want the world to know about an iPad give-away?    But aside from that…I know about as much as you do.    We’ve never met in person.    Our only communication has been cyber.    I’m a ginormous sap and as such would love to believe that all is right.  That the sweet, beautiful families who were promised iPads will be getting them tonight.  Tomorrow at the latest.  That no one has been lied to.  That the personal thank you for your generosity email I sent him on behalf of other IS families I’ve grown to love and was thrilled to learn w...

I was talking about you today

That's right. You. Sitting there glued. To the computer screen. Getting your Trevy fix. You who hasn't been able to tear your eyes away. The one who checks back here gobs of times a day. Hanging on every post. Especially the dripping with drama or funny posts. Because you need to either laugh or cry alternately. Just like me. And somewhere...sometime...somehow...over the course of these past couple years... ...you found yourself here. Reading about me. About my family. About my Trevy. And slowly you were drawn in. Until you couldn't help yourself. You were head over heels. Unashamedly addicted. Maybe we connected in a support forum. Perhaps we're old college friends. I know we have family following. Hi guys! Some teachers and therapists. Maybe even a medical professional or two. Perhaps our kids play ball together. We might be FaceBook friends. Or you could be a friend of a friend. Even a complete stranger. But to us... you each have a very special pla...

runaway

I tend to be a live out loud kinda girl. But sometimes... well...sometimes life is just so heavy. So intense. So overwhemling. That it brings out the recluse in me. Like lately. The thing is...I know it'll pass. It always does. And I'll learn something. Grow. Hopefully. Survive. Certainly. Because I have to. It's just right now. In this particular heavy moment. I would much rather run away to some tropical paradise and sip martinis until Jonathan calls to tell me Trevy's back at home. Happy. And seizure free. With a new head of curls covering the scar and bouncing around the house. I am a coward after all. I've never denied that. And I really don't want to live through this next month. Which is probably why my posts will be random. At best.