4 ms·

"A patient will never be able to make a rational decision when buying a drug. " Nonsense.

• alkonaut 11y ago
  "never" was the wrong choice of word. In general there are many cases when patients are not able to make a rational decision. And rarely, if ever, a better decision than a doctor will.
  • tosseraccount 11y ago
    I think people can be trusted to run their own lives without constant supervision by certified professionals. Britain for instance allows over the counter medicine that's illegal in the US. Is there some mass irrationality going on over there?
    • DanBC 11y ago
      To be fair those OTC meds are a significant cause of death in the UK.
    • alkonaut 11y ago
      > trusted to run their own lives Most of the time yes, but this is about creating a functioning market. I don't think people can be trusted to create a functioning market for products they sometimes can't set a monetary value on (if they are ill) and sometimes don't understand (because they aren't doctors). > Britain for instance allows over the counter medicine that's illegal in the US. I'd guess there is medicine that is allowed over the counter in the US that would be prescription in the US. But the bulk is probably the same. I fail to see how not being able to tell my doctor he should provide me with a specific prescription medication is detrimental to how I run my life. Healthcare costs need to be held down, most importantly in single payer systems, but it's quite important in insurance based systems too.