To most of us it’s hardly surprising!! A new analysis found that the claim by drug companies justifying the high price of drugs by the expenses of research and development cannot be proven. In an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the researchers found that the cost of developing a new drug is around $650 million. The drug companies put that cost at $ 2.7 billion or several times the actual cost established by the researchers. On top of the $650 million the researchers add another $100 million to cover the cost of what the companies would have gained by Continue reading “Cancer Drugs Prices”
Category: Governance
Behind The Headline–George Clooney on Hillary
George Clooney being the celebrity he is, people are curious about what he says and thinks. Even I was curious about his comments on why Hillary Clinton lost. The media headlines quoted him saying that he never saw her elevate her game. It was part of a long article in the Daily Beast prompted by his new movie. Since he had been a supporter of Hillary and had given a fund raiser in her honor it was only natural that he be asked about it. He did say he never saw her elevate her game, but the headline takes the phrase out of its natural context. He began by saying how qualified she was, and how she is not good at Continue reading “Behind The Headline–George Clooney on Hillary”
Rendering Aid
An 83 year old man went to the ATM in Essen, Germany, and surveillance cameras show he made three attempts but couldn’t reach it. He would fall. After the third attempt he couldn’t get up and stayed on the floor. The cameras further show that 4 people went by, ignored him and went around him to the ATM. The 5th person finally called for an ambulance. The man died a week later. The courts have just fined 3 of the people who ignored the man. The fourth, said the NYT article, was deemed unfit for trial. The incident may be striking in Germany since they have a strong civic culture, but it could happen Continue reading “Rendering Aid”
Private Prison Boom
I found a small article in der Spiegel magazine disturbing although I know there are those who will find in it a good tip, or a good move. I had already read that the Trump administration, in this case the Justice Department under Jeff Sessions, was undoing the phasing out of private prisons begun under the Obama administration. But this article went further. It took notice of this action because Deutsche Bank issued a report saying Continue reading “Private Prison Boom”