tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6427940.post3253188201094968521..comments2023-12-05T07:50:19.855-05:00Comments on No Oil for Pacifists: Politically Correct Cancer Funding@nooil4pacifistshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16688417615117569825noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6427940.post-24746695030832142432010-10-18T20:58:58.752-04:002010-10-18T20:58:58.752-04:00OOPS!
I meant to say, "From what I understan...OOPS!<br /><br />I meant to say, "From what I understand, both the Salk and Sabin vaccines which defeated polio were developed solely through PRIVATE funds."Warrennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6427940.post-42851502111735765252010-10-18T09:04:32.826-04:002010-10-18T09:04:32.826-04:00Back in 1989 Asa Barber, in the then regular colum...Back in 1989 Asa Barber, in the then regular column "Men" that appeared in Playboy magazine mad an interesting statement. If he were in charge, he would terminate all government funding of female-specific disease research until the life expectancy of men caught up to the life expectancy of women. Currently, men die 5+ years younger than women, on average.<br /><br />I think he was on to a good idea there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6427940.post-5107512855749398442010-10-18T08:32:37.425-04:002010-10-18T08:32:37.425-04:00Okay, currently CMS is going to hold a November pa...Okay, currently CMS is going to hold a November panel review about Provenge. <a href="http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/09/heres-what-medicare-will-ask-about-provenge/" rel="nofollow">Provenge update.</a><br /><br />It's important to understand several things. Number 1, this decision may be linked to the theory advanced by those such as Berwick (recess appointment) that Medicare shouldn't cover such treatments. Number 2, Medicare is supposed to cover all FDA-approved treatments. So this is a big departure from standard practice. <br /><br />For what it's worth, at least one breast cancer foundation has been fighting tooth and nail to attempt to ensure Medicare coverage for Provenge, because they know they're next.MaxedOutMamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08011469804162511617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6427940.post-77476010903587345862010-10-18T08:03:25.821-04:002010-10-18T08:03:25.821-04:00Warren makes a good point - government funding of ...Warren makes a good point - government funding of such initiatives inevitably is determined by politics, and the priorities of politics often are not those of the population at large.<br /><br />I've never lost anyone in my family to breast cancer, although a very good friend of my mother's did die from it. But I have lost two maternal close relations to prostrate cancer, and my brothers are therefore considered high risk. Therefore I would rather fund more studies on prostate cancer than on breast cancer. Government funding robs me of my choice in this. <br /><br />Of course, having government bureaucrats in control over what must be covered in insurance (as health reform does) means that we will all lose far more choice in the years to come. I can well imagine that older men may find PSA testing cut from Medicare coverage after a certain age, for example. <br /><br />The <a href="http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2010/08/14/berwicks-first-strike-susan-g-komen-foundation-and-ovarian-cancer-alliance-decry-first-ever-medicare-denials-of-fda-approved-cancer-drugs/" rel="nofollow">fight over Provenge this year</a> is an example. It seems to have taken a lot of pressure to get CMS to allow coverage of an FDA-approved treatment. I don't know the official status; I do know that CMS had a meeting with the manufacturer to approve this treatment.<br /><br />In 2004 CMS reduced reimbursement rates for a particular type of prostate treatment, and lo and behold, all of a sudden many men weren't getting it. <br /><br />I think the high death rate from prostate cancer should be examined more carefully to see if it is related to politics.MaxedOutMamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08011469804162511617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6427940.post-77111314567883823312010-10-16T22:04:14.773-04:002010-10-16T22:04:14.773-04:00Before the federal government decided it would be ...Before the federal government decided it would be the safety net of choice, the research funder of choice, and the medical care provider of choice, people belonged to charitable societies. People with disposable income spent a lot of money at these societies. There were many many charitable societies, including the March of Dimes. Now, the feds have pushed that aside, sucked up the disposable income and determined the priorities. <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_Organization_Society<br /><br />It used to be people had to rely on their families for handouts, then the local church, then the local government, then the state government, then, finally the feds. <br /><br />You and I should determine the priorities, we should be at liberty to do so! <br /><br />Enough is Enough!Bob Cosmoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13420771432114368417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6427940.post-30238047912632985902010-10-16T16:25:26.108-04:002010-10-16T16:25:26.108-04:00>through public funds -- The March of Dimes.
T...>through public funds -- The March of Dimes.<br /><br />The problem with the term "public funds" is that it sounds as though it refers to government handouts -- i.e. tax funding -- which clearly does not apply.<br /><br />"It was funded through private charity" would be a far more accurate statement.O Bloody Hellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6427940.post-23473738841085810562010-10-16T00:26:26.973-04:002010-10-16T00:26:26.973-04:00From what I understand, both the Salk and Sabin va...From what I understand, both the Salk and Sabin vaccines which defeated polio were developed solely through public funds -- The March of Dimes.<br /><br />http://americanhistory.si.edu/polio/virusvaccine/medphil.htm<br /><br />http://www.loti.com/sabin_vs_salk.htm<br /><br />"That campaign asked the public to donate only coins. Yet that campaign enjoyed such success that the Foundation acquired more money for polio than the total then contributed to support research on either heart disease or cancer."Warrennoreply@blogger.com