Is America just bored?
In the last 24 hours, I have seen four reports on a school that is not having their prom this year, and three on the record high Powerball Lottery prize. I also saw an add for a drug that purports to treat "restless leg syndrome." I really don't watch that much television, either. Wait a second, I am in the student lounge and another report on the Powerball Lottery just came on. Seriously. Is there that much of a lack of substantial news that this is what they have to report when there isn't a Katrina to occupy their airwaves? Or is it just the capitalistic motive to show what people want to see, so they can get more ratings and more money? Are they intentionally avoiding the international stories that most americans have never heard of, or are those stories just not profitable?
The restless leg syndrome thing confuses me too. I'm sure that this drug will help some number of people with this syndrome, but I can't shake the feeling that if I were a medical researcher, I would feel kind of silly working on something like this rather than cancer, diabetes, even migraines. Medical researchers can't possibly be bored. It is obvious that there isn't a lack of more substantial diseases and conditions to attempt to cure. Is it just more profitable to research something that you are pretty sure that you can find a cure for and market for than to funnel more money into cancer research that is still a longshot for finding a cure in the near future? Is there anything to the theory that the drug companies don't want there to be a cure for cancer or AIDS because it is more profitable to sell a hundred different drugs for the symptoms for the rest of one's life than to sell a one time drug that cures? Seriously there's like a million different questions here, and I truly want to know what y'all think. (Yes I know I just used "y'all" but if you can think of a better, more clear and concise second person plural pronoun, then please tell me.)
Wow. Sorry that was so rambling, but I am in my long, boring break on my long, boring day. Peace out, word to your mothers.
Also, as I was proofreading this, CNN reported that one of their producers just got engaged. They seriously spent a full minute on it, which is a lot, considering.
posted by Philawsopher @ 10/19/2005 03:37:00 PM
1 Comments:
*Sigh* As for what the hell drug companies, and drug researchers actually funnel their time and money in, it's one of the touchiest subjects for me. It has sadly turned into a complete business plan, and although it's sad to admit and aknowledge this, it is MUCH more profitable to maintain people on drugs for the rest of their lives than to have one set of drug(s) to cure a disease (as you had mentioned.) There is rarely true humanity or compassion in these types of businesses, and it will be a sad sad day when I have to explain to a little boy or a little girl that they probably won't live long, because their condition's cure is just not profitable to the companies in charge of making their medicine....
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