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Execution room - California prison |
My
knowledge base for at least one of these was improved: Lethal Injection.
I had
assumed that the decision to cease import of two of the drugs in the “cocktail”
used for execution was political; based on the fact that the United States is
one of only two developed countries that still allow Capital Punishment. Not so!
The decision was, as most business ones are, financial. There are increasing legal challenges that
the drug combination was not working properly: the desired effects of the
barbiturate, paralytic, and heart stopper, in that order, should put the
prisoner to sleep, stop all evidence of pain, and stop the heart. When the
process took too long, or when there was evidence of pain response, lawsuits
ensued.
The
profit margin for a limited sales model was too small to justify continued
production.
The
states turned to U.S. compounding pharmacies who, working without a
prescription, have had very mixed results, with stayed executions and further
lawsuits. Now the compounding pharmacies
are reconsidering whether they want in the game.

More and
more states are abolishing capital punishment with the main arguments centering around wrongful deaths, deaths
of children and the mentally challenged, and the long appeals process with its
ensuing costs.
So much
for that topic!
On the
issue of who should bear the cost of Pharmaceutical R&D and the shareholder
profit, I was surprised to find that four of the top ten manufacturers are
still in the US: Pfizer, Bayer, J&J, and Abbott. I was not surprised to see that 80% of legal
drugs taken to control chronic health problems are consumed in the United
States, and seniors take most of those.
I am not unusual in taking five prescribed pills a day to control blood
pressure, cholesterol, and gout. While the Federal government has used its
might, to ratchet down the cost of these, many, particularly new and
non-generic drugs are very expensive.
With the increase in population receiving support from the ACA, patients
will have to bear more of the cost burden.
So, I think we consuming Americans should rightfully pay for our
consumption.
The ACA
can also be blamed, if that is an appropriate word, for the CVS decision to
stop cigarette sales. Wellness is all over the law and those insurance companies
who are participating in the Exchange all have Wellness programs in their
design. Prevention is cheaper than
treatment, especially when you cannot adjust rates for previously existing
conditions. Also, since physicians are
limited, health plans are forced to contract other healthcare providers who can
legally perform services. Pharmacies are
not only dispensing drugs, they are also providing vaccinations and
immunizations.
It gives
the wrong image when they are also dispensing unhealthy product. Cigarettes today; perhaps soda and alcohol
tomorrow.
In my next post I
will share how watching August, Osage
County made me think of Mary’s family and other related and relative
issues. Come check that out!
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