Re: E-DRUG: Millions for Viagra, Pennies for the Poor

["Dr.L.Offerhaus" <lo@euronet.nl>]

E-DRUG: Millions for Viagra, Pennies for the Poor (2)
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Dear colleagues,

I have read this article with great interest, but why is everybody so 
naive? The pharmaceutical industry is one like every other business, 
and it doesn't make the slightest difference whether one 
manufactures vacuum cleaners, margarine, guns, automobiles or 
whatever. The goal is to make money and if one wants to make 
money one needs capital, and that capital is provided by the 
shareholders, who expect revenues. I have also shares in Shell and 
Unilever, but that doesn't make me an abject criminal.

If one looks at worldwide sales statistics it is obvious that between 60 
and 70% of the revenues come from the USA, some 20% from 
Europe, and a tiny bit from Africa and Asia. If the Americans want 
to be robbed to get a few hairs on their head and their willy up that 
is absolutely OK. Only very few Americans look beyond their 
borders, but there are some shining examples of Americans who used their money for international
charity like George Soros (who was Greek) and the guy who saved 
the UN budget by giving them one billion. Look how long it took to 
convince Bill Gates that he should give a share of his gold mountain 
away. It is not the moral duty of the private pharmaceutical industry 
to make drugs for the third world - even though they themselves 
sometimes pretend to do so. You cannot force them. 

Some of the best new drugs were developed by government 
institutions (zidovudine, taxol) or come from non-commercial 
sources like the artemisia derivatives.

Remember the definition of capitalism: You have two cows, you sell 
one and buy a bull. The socialist gives one of his cows away to his 
neighbour. Who will in the end produce the milk?

Dr.L.Offerhaus
Koedijklaan 1a, NL-1406KW Bussum, The Netherlands
Phone: +31-35-6923288.  Fax: +31-35-6923290
E-mail: LO@EURONET.NL  CompuServe: 71530,15
 
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