Pharmaceuticals bunfight

[McSack]

Here's an article from 2004:
'Drug price caps will cut jobs'

July 23, 2004
Durban - The pharmaceutical industry yesterday expressed grave concern that the proposed capping of the distributors' and wholesalers' distribution fees could lead to massive job losses throughout the country.

And here's one from today:
Pharmaceuticals sector in dire straights

The pharmaceuticals sector is shrinking, leading to job losses, rising import ratios and the closure of manufacturing plants, Business Report wrote on Wednesday.

Now if I was in the idustry I'd be sh!tting in my hat, jumping up and down on it and shouting "We told you so!!"

When is government going to realise that their meddling in the way private business is run when they clearly have no clue only f@#cks it up. (actually their meddling anywhere seems to result in a humongous bunfight)

 

[McSack]

The study was done by Chris Maloney and Nick Segal of Genesis. Segal would not comment on the report as it is not yet published.

The report says the industry's decline is troubling because the global pharmaceuticals sector, which is worth more than $535 billion (R3.7 trillion), is growing at up to 18 percent a year.

 

[lsuacner]

We don't have enough doctors, nurses, or pharmacists.

I have studied for 4 years now, I have to article for 3 more, if it wasn't for the money, I won't continue studying and I won't have studied accounting. I would have studied English, but I want money.

If the government officials makes it so unprofitable to the point that the industry collapses, I hope the kids and family of those officials suffer also.

If you are in a professional position, like a pharmacists is, you have to be paid enough, not anyone can be a pharmacists, it takes more drive and motivation than most of us have in us. They deserve good money.

 

[Paulr]

We don't have enough doctors, nurses, or pharmacists.

I have studied for 4 years now, I have to article for 3 more, if it wasn't for the money, I won't continue studying and I won't have studied accounting. I would have studied English, but I want money.

If the government officials makes it so unprofitable to the point that the industry collapses, I hope the kids and family of those officials suffer also.

If you are in a professional position, like a pharmacists is, you have to be paid enough, not anyone can be a pharmacists, it takes more drive and motivation than most of us have in us. They deserve good money.

This doesn't have much to do with professionally qualified people like you, more with all the other crap like "pretty reps with short skirts visiting the doctors" etc.. Professionally qualified people are still that, they are professional, they worked to get where they are, and they know what they are talking about.....

 

[zeridine]

This doesn't have much to do with professionally qualified people like you, more with all the other crap like "pretty reps with short skirts visiting the doctors" etc.. Professionally qualified people are still that, they are professional, they worked to get where they are, and they know what they are talking about.....

I'm still waiting to meet these pretty reps in short skirts. most reps are BCom graduates/Dieticians/Sisters/etc. I've even met a few who are doctors themselves.

 

[Angelface]

Why would you call "pretty reps in short skirts" crap? They are also doing their job. Earning a living as we all do.

 

[Fudzy]

Why would you call "pretty reps in short skirts" crap? They are also doing their job. Earning a living as we all do.

You aren't one are you?

 

[Angelface]

Then I wouldn't have added "earning a living as we all do". Would I?

I'm pretty sure I would have said something like "We are only trying to earn a living like all of you do."

 

[noxibox]

Now if I was in the idustry I'd be sh!tting in my hat, jumping up and down on it and shouting "We told you so!!"

When is government going to realise that their meddling in the way private business is run when they clearly have no clue only f@#cks it up.

This is one of the industries where they must interfere. There were many medications where it was cheaper to import that same product from Europe. Without knowing more about what is going on inside local pharmaceutical companies we can't know how much they're responsible for their own problems. Most likely a small handful were getting fat bleeding the South African public, so we'd expect them to come out whining and crying when the government takes the wheels off their gravy train.

The global pharmaceutical industry needs to be closely monitored. If they claim they need to charge a high price to recoup R&D costs then we must make sure that money is really R&D, not money going to executives or marketing. The time is also long overdue to fix the problems with the patent system and put a stop to abuses of patents.

We can't always save jobs and nor should we. By not regulating the cost of medical care the government was probably propping up inefficient, bloated companies instead of protecting the interests of the public.

Every country should be regulating medicine prices, doctors' fees, etc.

 

[noxibox]

If you are in a professional position, like a pharmacists is, you have to be paid enough, not anyone can be a pharmacists, it takes more drive and motivation than most of us have in us. They deserve good money.

If they, and more particularly doctors, are in it for money or prestige, then they have the wrong attitude.

 

[Angelface]

It is time we stop "romantisising" certain jobs. We all do what we do, to make a living. No matter what it is.

Attitude does not buy you a house, car, clothes or food. And if some people studied hard to become a professional, why is it wrong to make money.

And before someone asks met if I'm a doctor. I am not.

I work hard for what I have, and if someones tells me if I'm in the job for money and prestige, well they are absolutely right. And while I'm enjoying my money and prestige, I help my clients along the way. But I will not work for free.

 

[zeridine]

i think people should complain less about doctors 'overcharging' with their fees (which is utterly laughable, if you compare the going rate internationally - SA's private sector is dirt cheap) and complain more about their incompetently greedy medical aids to which they pay R1000-R5000 a month and still have to give co-payments on more cost effective medicines (such as forcing you to take a generic version if available, which are sometimes vastly inferior, otherwise you'll have to pay in).
And yes, i think generally most medicines in SA are way out overpriced, which raises ethical and financial concern, but how does that differ from most other sectors in SA - like motor vehicle prices, PC peripherals like video cards etc.

 

[lsuacner]

If they, and more particularly doctors, are in it for money or prestige, then they have the wrong attitude.

If you study as long as I have, 3 years for a degree, 1 year for honors, 3 years to article, it is a huge financial drain, loans become unpayable. Nobody studies for that long, unless they are in it for the money.

If you think school was long and difficult, varsity can't be compared, if you don't have a degree relative to what doctors or auditors have, then you are not entitled to question our ethics and integrity. I am in this for the money.

Auditors, doctors even more so, carry a huge responsibility, they should be compensated appropriately. Medical researchers also, you want someone with matric only designing your medicines?

 

[JTech]

The time is also long overdue to fix the problems with the patent system and put a stop to abuses of patents.

That is unfortunately an American thing but I agree, it needs a fix and soon...

i think people should complain less about doctors 'overcharging' with their fees (which is utterly laughable, if you compare the going rate internationally - SA's private sector is dirt cheap) and complain more about their incompetently greedy medical aids to which they pay R1000-R5000 a month and still have to give co-payments on more cost effective medicines (such as forcing you to take a generic version if available, which are sometimes vastly inferior, otherwise you'll have to pay in).

I agree. I oftentimes find the doctor's fees reasonable but I am pretty pissed off with Discovery who refuse to pay for anything these days... I might as well have put the money into a savings account. I'd be able to afford ALL my medical expenses like that, in cash.