> Over the next 20 years, one side effect of this sort of bill might be to slow that innovation down.
There was an article in The Economist recently (unable to find the link - read a hard copy) which dispelled this myth. Research was done in some European countries (including the UK) which showed that introducing the NHS has not slowed down innovation. They also suggested some incentive plans to make sure innovation did not take a hit.
In either case, I think it's a long stretch to say that this bill, among other things, will lead to a reduced drug innovation. The money in the Drug business in the US and around the world will ensure that does not happen.
I pretty sure it's possible to find examplars in other industrialized countries with modern healthcare systems where their lifestyles are unhealthy.
I can't speak for the UK (but I believe I've seen a study that claims obesity rates in the UK are in fact higher than in the US), but Germans aren't exactly the pinnacle of healthy living, majority smoke, drink and eat outrageously bad (thought incredible delicious) food. Koreans likewise engage in lots of walking about, but the air quality in the major cities is very poor, they have remarkably sedentary lifestyles until college, and then as "salarymen", they probably compete drink for drink with the Russians and Korean food is full of high protein and high fat food sources -- ever sit down and eat 2 kg of Sam Gyeop Sal (Pork Belly) at a sitting? My friends in Japan report a similar lifestyle in Japan.
What's remarkable is that Americans, who generally like to stake claim at being the best in everything, tolerate a system that ranks them down with 2nd and 3rd world countries fighting for what, 40th place between Colombia and Brunei?
There was an article in The Economist recently (unable to find the link - read a hard copy) which dispelled this myth. Research was done in some European countries (including the UK) which showed that introducing the NHS has not slowed down innovation. They also suggested some incentive plans to make sure innovation did not take a hit.
In either case, I think it's a long stretch to say that this bill, among other things, will lead to a reduced drug innovation. The money in the Drug business in the US and around the world will ensure that does not happen.