I do believe my constant thoughts, rants and reading about the current political state of the U.S. have gone too, too far. I had a dream last night where I was in some sort of meeting with George W. Bush and some of his advisors. I don't remember, but I hope Donald Rumsfeld was there and upset that I called him a pompous, ignorant a-hole. In this meeting GW and I discussed the state of the Union, and agreed on nothing. I left enraged at the insane ignorance of the GW caricature in my head, knowing that nothing I said to him really even made a dent and he was just going to go off and celebrate imperialism--old and new--with some fireworks and BBQ. I am incensed even in my sleep.
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4 comments:
Oh dear...my question is, is this preferable to insomnia or no?
Hey Casey,
I'd like your expert opinion. I'm wondering what you think about this--http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/06/world/06aids.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
Thanks!
--Brent
[It's my first on my blog reply! Yea!]
In response to the article linked:
Not that I am truly an expert, but I do have alot of opinions, so lets' go. I am bothered by the U.S. pharmaceutical policies in general that don't allow for the use of generic HIV medications. I have had many patients who made too much money for gov't insurances, but could not afford the medications they needed to stay alive without putting themselves into tremendous debt. A basic HIV regimen runs no less than $1100 a month.
In reading the article I was puzzled by two things: (1) why are these 3-in-1 medications being given only to people in "poor countries". It's a little bit sketch and could lead to many of the conspiracy theories that abound in the world of HIV care. And if it's so wonderful and so convenient as to improve effectiveness of treatment, why isn't it being given to people everywhere; and (2) why is it that the W.H.O.'s approval process is not sufficient for this drug to be distributed to people. Is the FDA really that superior?
In the time it took to get this approved twice, thousands of people have probably gotten much sicker. In general when giving aid money to foreign countries, in regard to HIV anyway, the U.S. puts so many stipulations on it's use. There is alot of money tied up in abstinence only education programs in countries where due to so many societal issue these things have been shown time and again not to work. Our moral superiority costs alot of people their lives.
Thank you, Casey, for your insight. The article sounded good, but really a little too positive. I just don't know enough about these realities to see through the B.S.
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