3 ms·

We need food to survive, and market forces work fine. In fact, I would say that the U.S. supermarket is a model of market efficiency.

torpfactory 10y ago
When I can buy drugs from the Pharamacy for $1.69 a pound I'll be happy to see it driven by market forces. The market simply isn't doing a good enough job getting medications to consumers at a reasonable price.
- refurb 10y ago
  When it costs $1.69 to create a new drug, then you'd have a point.
- replicatorblog 10y ago
  https://www.walmart.com/cp/4-dollar-presscriptions/1078664 https://www.walmart.com/cp/4-dollar-presscriptions/1078664
- unabridged 10y ago
  Look at OTC medication costs, every store makes their own generic and they are very cheap.
  - replicatorblog 10y ago
    Not to be pedantic, but a handful of pharma companies, like Teva and Perrigo make them on behalf of the stores. It's a small, but important distinction. The pharma market is more of a market than most people appreciate. One pharma co's margin is another's opporunity.
jellicle 10y ago
A great deal of agricultural regulation and subsidy goes into ensuring the food supply is consistent and in excess of demand. Also, food is almost entirely substitutable - you don't NEED any particular food item. (And for items where there aren't good substitutes, like milk for babies, we have extra subsidies to ensure supply.) Also, no one has a government-granted monopoly on "bread" or "fish". Therefore, the market for food doesn't degenerate under the conditions that prevail currently. If you needed to eat a whole wheat bagel (only) in the next 24 hours or you would die, and whole wheat bagels were under a government-granted monopoly, the bagel manufacturer could charge you any amount they'd like, couldn't they?
dredmorbius 10y ago
Are you claiming that hunger, malnutrition, and diet-imposed diseases (diabetes, obesity, vitamin deficiencies) don't exist? If that's the case, then perhaps the market is working find. If it isn't, then ... perhaps your assertion fails.

torpfactory 10y ago

When I can buy drugs from the Pharamacy for $1.69 a pound I'll be happy to see it driven by market forces. The market simply isn't doing a good enough job getting medications to consumers at a reasonable price.

refurb 10y ago
When it costs $1.69 to create a new drug, then you'd have a point.
replicatorblog 10y ago
https://www.walmart.com/cp/4-dollar-presscriptions/1078664 https://www.walmart.com/cp/4-dollar-presscriptions/1078664
unabridged 10y ago
Look at OTC medication costs, every store makes their own generic and they are very cheap.
- replicatorblog 10y ago
  Not to be pedantic, but a handful of pharma companies, like Teva and Perrigo make them on behalf of the stores. It's a small, but important distinction. The pharma market is more of a market than most people appreciate. One pharma co's margin is another's opporunity.

jellicle 10y ago

A great deal of agricultural regulation and subsidy goes into ensuring the food supply is consistent and in excess of demand. Also, food is almost entirely substitutable - you don't NEED any particular food item. (And for items where there aren't good substitutes, like milk for babies, we have extra subsidies to ensure supply.) Also, no one has a government-granted monopoly on "bread" or "fish". Therefore, the market for food doesn't degenerate under the conditions that prevail currently. If you needed to eat a whole wheat bagel (only) in the next 24 hours or you would die, and whole wheat bagels were under a government-granted monopoly, the bagel manufacturer could charge you any amount they'd like, couldn't they?

dredmorbius 10y ago

Are you claiming that hunger, malnutrition, and diet-imposed diseases (diabetes, obesity, vitamin deficiencies) don't exist? If that's the case, then perhaps the market is working find. If it isn't, then ... perhaps your assertion fails.