Forgive me for raining on the inaugural parade.
I regard the incoming administration with trepidation. Not because of it's agenda because on first, second and third glance it seems to have none. But rather, it seems to worship at the altar of being perceived as effective. What did Nick Carraway say about Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby being a "series of successful gestures." Exactly.
No permanent allies. No permanent friendships. Just permanent interests.
And to maintain it's interests the administration will toss biomedical innovation to the wolves. Not because they want to but because the way it is done, in bits and pieces and in the dark of night and couched in cost containment and consumer protection it will be really easy to make it harder and harder to produce and bring to market any innovation. Want your votes on the stimulus bill it will cost you a change to allow an override of pre-emption. Want expanded SCHIP coverage? Allow CMS to establish reference pricing for breakthrough drugs or special rebates. Want more NIH funding? Be prepared to require that anyone receiving NIH funding be allowed to collaborate with industry. More funding for the FDA? Be prepared to saddle the agency with regulation of tobacco, TV ads and drug importation.
Can we expect the media to analyze the impact of all this? Not at all. The journalists who believe that "science should not be for sale" and who work at newspapers that can't be given away have led the way in making people believe that the commercialization of medical discoveries is essentially a criminal enterprise no different than the one Madoff concocted.
Sadly, many of those in the crosshairs appear oblivious or believe they can survive by engaging in accomodation or seeking what is known as a "seat at the table."
Ask the biotech industry in the UK and Europe if that's a recipe for success and prosperity.
I regard the incoming administration with trepidation. Not because of it's agenda because on first, second and third glance it seems to have none. But rather, it seems to worship at the altar of being perceived as effective. What did Nick Carraway say about Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby being a "series of successful gestures." Exactly.
No permanent allies. No permanent friendships. Just permanent interests.
And to maintain it's interests the administration will toss biomedical innovation to the wolves. Not because they want to but because the way it is done, in bits and pieces and in the dark of night and couched in cost containment and consumer protection it will be really easy to make it harder and harder to produce and bring to market any innovation. Want your votes on the stimulus bill it will cost you a change to allow an override of pre-emption. Want expanded SCHIP coverage? Allow CMS to establish reference pricing for breakthrough drugs or special rebates. Want more NIH funding? Be prepared to require that anyone receiving NIH funding be allowed to collaborate with industry. More funding for the FDA? Be prepared to saddle the agency with regulation of tobacco, TV ads and drug importation.
Can we expect the media to analyze the impact of all this? Not at all. The journalists who believe that "science should not be for sale" and who work at newspapers that can't be given away have led the way in making people believe that the commercialization of medical discoveries is essentially a criminal enterprise no different than the one Madoff concocted.
Sadly, many of those in the crosshairs appear oblivious or believe they can survive by engaging in accomodation or seeking what is known as a "seat at the table."
Ask the biotech industry in the UK and Europe if that's a recipe for success and prosperity.
