Neo-Liberal does not mean Liberal. It is a kind of fiscal conservative free market approach. It is only liberal in the freedom of markets.
I too chafe at hearing the human afflictions talked about
in such business models. I wish we had a socialized system that substantially removed profit from medicine. But we don't, and even if started today, it would take years to transition without collapsing markets and creating chaos.
As long as businesses have to choose where to develop treatments, they are going to look for the bigger markets and the markets that are not going to go away. For the rarer conditions it is up to government or non-profit to fund the basic research, and possibly also bring the treatment to market. The CCFA might play this role in future.
There may also be models where a drug/therapy developer brings something to market, and once proven, places it in a public trust. They get some shares in the trust, like shares in a mutual fund. The shares pay ongoing income based on the whole fund, and on new treatments coming into the fund - not just theirs. This is a semi-privatized form of nationalized medical research and development. IT would take societal change and working out of details.
Anyway, as annoying as it is to hear such frank discussions, if we want unrestrained capitalism, we cannot be upset when companies seek profit - or ask them to act like charities.
Post Edited (DBwithUC) : 4/13/2018 9:23:07 AM (GMT-6)