4 ms·

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/mtct-hiv-cuba/en/ http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/mtct-hiv-c... Works in other systems wher

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/mtct-hiv-cuba/en/ http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/mtct-hiv-c... Works in other systems where there is no profit motive.

darawk 8y ago
The fact that Cuba managed to do a thing isn't the same thing as proving equivalence between for-profit and non-profit healthcare systems re: innovation.
- prolikewhoa 8y ago
  It's exactly what was asked for. There's no profit margin, yet they were the first in the world to come up with a vaccine. Sounds like a good example of innovation to me?
  - michaelkeenan 8y ago
    I think you're mixing up different news reports. Cuba reduced their mother-child HIV transmission using five generic antiretrovirals that were invented in the USA and Canada: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2688320/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2688320/ I'm not sure what would be a perfectly comprehensive metric for health innovations by country. Drug patents might be sort of close[1], but maybe Cuba doesn't apply for patents on principled grounds. For Cuba, it would be helpful to know the ratio of the USA using drugs or other innovations developed in Cuba versus American ones used in Cuba. I hear that drug development can cost billions of dollars[2] so I'd be surprised if Cuba could afford it, but maybe they've done it. Anyone know of any new drugs invented in Cuba? [1] e.g. https://www.americanactionforum.org/weekly-checkup/new-drug-patents-country/ https://www.americanactionforum.org/weekly-checkup/new-drug-... [2] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cost-to-develop-new-pharmaceutical-drug-now-exceeds-2-5b/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cost-to-develop-n...
whitepoplar 8y ago
Because they benefit from the massive amount spent on medical innovation in the U.S.
- rootusrootus 8y ago
  Then maybe it's time we renegotiated that deal so other countries (esp wealthy ones) pulled their weight.
  - whitepoplar 8y ago
    Agreed!
  - dagw 8y ago
    Who's "we" and what would that look like? We're talking largely about private companies operating in a global market (esp. when dealing with wealthy countries). If a US buyer is willing to buy $1000 and a UK buyer says we're not paying more than $100, should the pharmaceutical company be banned from selling to the UK at that price? No one is forcing the pharmaceutical companies to sell to UK here. If they feel it's in their interest to accept the $100 then surely they should be free to do so.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/mtct-hiv-cuba/en/ http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/mtct-hiv-c... Works in other systems where there is no profit motive.

darawk 8y ago

The fact that Cuba managed to do a thing isn't the same thing as proving equivalence between for-profit and non-profit healthcare systems re: innovation.

prolikewhoa 8y ago
It's exactly what was asked for. There's no profit margin, yet they were the first in the world to come up with a vaccine. Sounds like a good example of innovation to me?
- michaelkeenan 8y ago
  I think you're mixing up different news reports. Cuba reduced their mother-child HIV transmission using five generic antiretrovirals that were invented in the USA and Canada: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2688320/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2688320/ I'm not sure what would be a perfectly comprehensive metric for health innovations by country. Drug patents might be sort of close[1], but maybe Cuba doesn't apply for patents on principled grounds. For Cuba, it would be helpful to know the ratio of the USA using drugs or other innovations developed in Cuba versus American ones used in Cuba. I hear that drug development can cost billions of dollars[2] so I'd be surprised if Cuba could afford it, but maybe they've done it. Anyone know of any new drugs invented in Cuba? [1] e.g. https://www.americanactionforum.org/weekly-checkup/new-drug-patents-country/ https://www.americanactionforum.org/weekly-checkup/new-drug-... [2] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cost-to-develop-new-pharmaceutical-drug-now-exceeds-2-5b/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cost-to-develop-n...

whitepoplar 8y ago

Because they benefit from the massive amount spent on medical innovation in the U.S.

rootusrootus 8y ago
Then maybe it's time we renegotiated that deal so other countries (esp wealthy ones) pulled their weight.
- whitepoplar 8y ago
  Agreed!
- dagw 8y ago
  Who's "we" and what would that look like? We're talking largely about private companies operating in a global market (esp. when dealing with wealthy countries). If a US buyer is willing to buy $1000 and a UK buyer says we're not paying more than $100, should the pharmaceutical company be banned from selling to the UK at that price? No one is forcing the pharmaceutical companies to sell to UK here. If they feel it's in their interest to accept the $100 then surely they should be free to do so.