3 ms·

If you review data, the US indeed has higher cancer survival rates. But they’re marginally higher while overall US life expectancy is lower. That means basicall

• bumby 5y ago
  Is there any data that links cancer survival to where that treatment was developed? I’m genuinely curious and realize this is one of those topics that is easy to come across as combative, but please know that’s not my intent. The reason I ask is that I think roughly 40% of healthcare R&D globally is funded by the U.S. For its size, the U.S. scores relatively high on the access and quality dimensions, but as has been discussed is quite bad at cost. I wonder if the US has optimized for quality and access at the expense of cost. I have also heard from those in the field that the US effectively subsidizes other countries costs through their R&D and price policies. E.g., other countries may have tight drug price controls and the only way pharma is willing to invest in R&D is because they can make up those profits in America. It really makes me think all this discussion about one country’s healthcare vs another is myopic. Just like many other aspects of economics, healthcare to a certain extent is a global system.