Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Lab Rat Here

#332 Lab Rat, Here

Yes, many of us have become experimental subjects. And the geniuses who are doing the experiment? Why the pharma plans. Why take, say, Lipitor (even if it's worked for years,) when you can take Zxplnobl H.L? Why take those old brand name blood pressure pills when they can experiment on you with the generic version, Fefatonin Clecktikanin?

"See how you do on these, sir. If it doesn't work out you can always have your old stuff back."

Sure.

At ten times the price.

All this comes along with a nice warm and fuzzy letter.

"Dear Sir, We've received permission from your doctor or other health care professional, to switch you from Zoloft to the new generic version, called "Sad-Be-Gone," a superior antidepressant at a price that will save you a bundle. While using this drug, please report any suicidal thoughts or attempts to your doctor or other health care professional. If your depression worsens, please contact your doctor or other health care professional or a suicide prevention hotline."

Suicidal thoughts or attempts? What's in this stuff? It's supposed to be an ANTI depressant, not a PRO-depressant. Life's depressing enough without taking medicine to make it more intense.

But at least there's money to be saved. A three month supply of "Sad-Be-Gone" is $12.38. A three month supply of Zoloft is $385, with the "Speedy Pharm Customer Discount." You can imagine what the stuff costs without that good hearted price break.

So, we've become medical lab rats.

"Hey, let's see what happens to cholesterol levels when we give 'em Zxplnobl H.L.," says Speedy Pharm's marketing department. (Marketing departments make all scientific decisions -- at least those that the accounting departments don't make.) "Maybe we can help our stock in Zxplnobl Generix, our supplier and captive subsidiary. And maybe we can even cause a few heart attacks and strokes, then let the insurance guys take care of these people. The insurance guys and the undertakers."

The packaged food industry has been doing this for years. So why not the drug pushers?

Ever read the label on a potato chip bag? A loaf of white bread? A candy bar?

You inhale a bag of Fritos and don't die, right? You have a peanut butter-on-white and you're still here, right? So why not a handful of Fefatonin Clecktikanin? What's the worst could happen?

The auto industry does a bit of this, too. Remember the Pinto? The Corvair? How about the SUVs that rolled over like obedient Cocker Spaniels?

And China, Inc. is way ahead of the United States on this score. They have spent decades growing human lab rats. And now, they're helping us along the way, with new forms of pet food and finding the REAL safety levels of lead in paint.

Plus why should the academic world have a monopoly on lab experiments. They suck up a ton of money that could better be given to the stockholders of Zxplnobl Generix, including our friends at Speedy Pharm.

I'm Wes Richards. My opinions are my own, but you're welcome to them.
©WJR

2 comments:

Peter S. said...

I have a philosophy which pretty much covers this subject in an all encompassing way.

"Life causes death."

Your account of how the pharmaceutical industry acts, however, is right on the money.

pipskippy said...

I became a big fan of the old 'nootropic' cognitive enhancers back when the Smart Drugs book came out. The beauty of nootropics, at least piracetam, is that they are chemically safe - as long as the filler they were mixed with was okay. But, look at Piracetam's history. It's used in Europe for everything from Everest expeditions to cognitive enhancement to first hour stroke treatment due to it's ability to prevent neuron asphyxiation in low oxygen conditions - but never legalized in the US. Why not? I suspect there's no real market for cognitive enhancement in America, plenty of potential, but no real market.

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