Re: [CPF0000] Re: A Modern Fairy Tale

["M. Lazarus" <mlazarus@xxxxxxxx>]

Tom,

At 1/2/04 04:27 PM, you wrote:
> >> As long as taxes support research, there needs to be a way to provide 
> public benefits.
>
> I disagree specifically with the final assertion.  If taxes support 
> research, the cost of that research won't have to be paid by the 
> recipients of the treatments.  That by itself is a huge benefit to the 
> public.  The initial cost will be lower, and the cost will fall to general 
> affordability sooner.
>
> Does the fact that the government subsidized the development of the 
> internet obligate the government to subsidize access to the 
> internet?  Clearly, the answer is no.

There are practical differences between the internet and health research:

1)  The 'net was developed for the use and benefit of government 
agencies.  It was not developed as a research project that would eventually 
be turned over to the commercial public.  Therefore, the ROI to the 
taxpayer is evident.  Piggybacking on that infrastructure is great.  We 
receive a dual benefit.

 Health care research, on the other hand, does not benefit government 
efficiency, rather it primarily benefits several large pharmaceutical 
companies.  After paying for it via taxes we then we get to pay for it 
again through the drugs or insurance premiums.

2)  Health care research is an ongoing, bottomless pit.  I don't see the 
government needing to invest much more in the internet at this point.  We 
do need the government's help to get the more esoteric (e.g. for the "lower 
priority" items) research going.  But once it gets passed along to the 
commercial sector we need a way to prevent the drug companies from making 
the public pay for it again.

 -mark