I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

An interesting commentary by Bruce Chessen, Georgetown University oncologist/hematologist (one of the biggies in blood cancers). These two paragraphs especially make me see red:

When I first went to work at the National Cancer Institute in 1984, my task was to help develop a couple of drugs. These included fludarabine and pentostatin. With pentostatin, all of the development was done through funds from the government -- all the phase 1, phase 2, and phase 3 trials. But when it came time to commercialize the drug, the company took it over and made all of the money on it, whatever money there was to be made on that drug.

When I saw the cost of the drug, I was horrified. I went to representatives at the company and I asked, "How did you ever get this number for a drug that did not cost you a penny?" They said that the standard at the time was interferon, because that was the approved therapy. They just matched the cost of interferon with this drug, which did not cost them anything.

Video and transcript so you don't have to watch the video:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/804565

Abstract that the above New York Times piece was based on (the table at the end really shows how those in the U.S. are paying outlandishly higher prices than those in other countries):

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/early/2013/04/23/blood-2013-03-490003.full.pdf+html

Kam, I'm hoping what her resignation means is that she's become aware her constituency is not as crazy as she, and they will not re-elect her next time. She does not want to be humiliated with a loss and is, therefore, bowing out ahead of that possibility. IOW, the district she represents is getting a clue!

On Bachmann . . . I just learned that her former campaign manager had this to say about her: "I am fully aware that she sometimes has difficulty with her facts, but this is downright vicious and reaches the late Senator Joe McCarthy level."  (The reference was to Bachmann's attacks on Huma Abedin.) 

Her former campaign manager!  Ouch.

It sure would have been wonderful to watch her get beat in 2014, but I'm still glad she's going.  She's funny, sure, but she's also poison.

Linda

I still worry about the majority of morons who GAVE the election to Bush Jr. 

Jackie

Of course I'm thrilled Bachmann ( and no one is fooled by what she says ) is stepping down, but I loved this:

And another Michele Bachmann article:

"Michele Bachmann Is Done: Her Hostage Tape to Reality"

"The congresswoman who represented the worst of American politics will not seek reelection in 2014..."

"....Smiling stiffly through an eight-and-a-half-minute video on her website, Bachmann again illustrated the palpable strangeness—the earnest, fact-free, Kool-Aid chugging self-obsession—that characterized her congressional career and her rolling disaster of a presidential campaign...."

".....She wants the world to know that “this decision was not impacted in any way by the recent inquiries into the activities of my former presidential campaign or my former presidential staff. It was clearly understood that compliance with all rules and regulations was an absolute necessity for my presidential campaign.”

In a word: bullshit......"

"....She degraded national debate, consistently chose fearmongering over facts, and exhibited every impulse of the demagogue and the ideologue. If she ever bothered to do her homework, she could have been dangerous. Instead Bachmann will stand as a sad cautionary tale, a curious footnote used to explain the reality-show auditions of the 2012 GOP presidential primaries, now all part of her reel tape as she attempts to get what she always really wanted: a Fox News contract."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/29/michele-bachmann-is-done-her-hostage-video-to-reality.html

Belinda...loved the whole article.  Rather amazing that some of these people can get elected at all.  Totally amazes me what some of them say with such a straight face.  They never seem to check that they may have held themselves up to great scorn....but like M. Backmann....when it comes time for re-election....bye-bye.

Jackie

That pic says it all, Jackie. What a collossal disaster for this country that man was!

I've often wondered about the education level of the staff in Bachmann's congressional office.  I strongly suspect they were ALL graduates of Liberty U or Patrick Henry, or one of the other colleges that places fundie religion several rungs above actual knowledge about the world and how it works.  Bachmann didn't make up her own talking points -- none of them do.  But she was too dumb/dazed to realize the utter nonsense coming out of her mouth.

Two cases in point:  the vaccine that supposedly caused retardation in a teenage girl, and the stuff about the President's trip to India costing $200 MILLION a day.

Hi Everyone,

I'm going to complain a little bit about that damn tick that got on me the other day.  The area under my chin is still red and swollen .. and now it's really itchy too!  Just an inconvenience really, especially since it's so warm out today.

Blue .. Love the picture of the puppy .. he's like a giant Wendel!

I hope you're getting some relief after the stimulator adjustment.  I know how hard it is for you to type and use your left side right now.

hugs to all,

Bren

Bren - might think about getting it checked out by a doctor.  Ticks carry all sorts of nasty diseases.   I've removed ticks from myself and my kids over the years.  the reaction you're having seems a little unusual.