MAN AND HIS CHANGING WORLD

This column is being  written on Friday, April 13. The Boston bombings have occurred and the search for the perpetrators is underway. One was killed last night. The other is still sought.

Several suburban Boston communities are in shut down. Which means the police have told everyone to stay inside with their doors locked. It has just been reported that portions of Boston are also in shut down. More than 1 million people are affected by the shut down.

Boston area colleges and universities are closed. Mass transit is not running.

The streets are crowded with all sort of police officials from the FBI down to the small township police officer. All appear ready to do war. Most are wearing thick bullet proof vests. All are carrying weapons.

There is also military. Huge war type vehicles carrying soldiers and police are seen every where.

America has neither seen nor experienced what is going on in the search for the desperadoes. Never. Well, maybe one time. When the British were occupying New York City during the Revolution.

Two thoughts occur which I would like to share with you. How I view what is happening.

First, the Boston Marathon bombings are a reflection of man's inhumanity.

The two men now known to have been involved constructed home made bombs. Bombs containing carpenter nails, small ball bearings, nails and small knife type objects. The two knew the blasts would kill and maim. The result was intended. They even stayed around to see the result of their handiwork after the bombs went off.

The present toll is 3 dead and 174 injured. A young boy was killed, his youngest sister lost a leg, and his mother's brain was impaled with some sort of flying metallic object. The mother required immediate brain surgery.Two brothers each lost a leg.

Man likes to kill. He enjoys it. From almost day one. Genesis tells us Adam and Eve had two sons. Cain and Abel. Cain killed Abel out of jealousy.

Since then man has been engaged in killing, maiming and hurting his fellow man one way or another.Think of all the wars down through the centuries. Genocides in addition. Happenings such as the Inquisition and Holocaust.

In last one hundred years, the United States has been involved in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Granada, Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is rare if there has been a time when there was no war or massive killings in some part of the world.

Top it off with the gun killings in the United States. Thirty thousand a year.

Killing, maiming and causing pain are inherent in man. Whether we like to admit it, it is part of man's nature.

The second thought of which I have been mindful as the events of this week unfolded is that the world is changing. It dramatically did with 9/11. It continues to change with the Boston bombings.

Since 9/11 we have airport security checks, a new Federal Department of Homeland Security, etc.

Now as a result of the Boston Marathon bombings, the streets of Boston and its surrounding area appear a war zone. Similar to a military occupation. Police authorities and soldiers everywhere. Guns in full view. Military vehicles. More than 1 million people told to stay home behind lock doors.

The scenes on television remind me of cities during World War II that were under Nazi occupation, as well as photos and videos we have seen of our soldiers fighting in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

It is a precedent. We have never seen anything even close to this in the United States in the past.

There will be heightened security from this point forward. Even after the accomplice to the Boston bombings is captured. We will have gone to another level of security which will remain with us for many years. Just as airport security has since 9/11.

The world has once again changed. It will continue to change.

SCREWED AGAIN

Corporate America/big business has no reluctance to do whatever is necessary to enlarge its bottom line. To profit as much and as long as possible. Even to the detriment of the American people.

 

An example in point involves pharmaceutical companies. Big money! Any one who purchases prescription drugs on a regular basis knows. Expensive!

 

A company discovers/creates a new drug. A twenty year patent kicks in. Which means simply that no other company can produce that drug till the end of the twenty year period. At that time a cheaper but same drug can be sold under a another name. The duplicated drug is known as a generic. As contrasted with the company that discovers/creates the drug which is known as the brand company.

 

Brand companies get paid exorbitant prices for their drugs. The reason claimed is that it takes years of research and development. The originator of the drug should be adequately compensated. Whereas a generic company has no research and development time involved. It merely produces the same drug under a different name. Thereby enabling the generic to be sold at a considerably lower price. The difference between the brand drug and generic generally being 80-85 per cent.

 

A business arrangement has developed between the brand and generic companies. An arrangement that works to the detriment of the purchasing public.

 

Generic companies have the right to challenge the legality of a patent.They do so. If the generic wins, that means the generic can start producing a particular drug immediately.

 

The brand companies do not wish such to occur. It would cut into the gigantic profit the brand company is making. A custom has developed where the brand and generic companies sit down after litigation has occurred where the generic has won. They negotiate a deal. The brand company will pay x number of dollars in a lump sum to the generic company not to begin production of the generic drug for a specified number of years.

 

Both sides make out.

 

The brand company makes so much money, it can afford to throw a few million the generic's way. The generic receives a windfall up front. More money than it could make if it went out and sold the generic drug.

 

This works out well for both sides. It does not work out well for the third party involved. The purchasers of the drug. The purchasers keep paying big dollars for a particular drug when it could and should be paying less. Were it not for the agreement which the brand company and generic company entered into.

 

This may soon come to an end.

 

The Federal Trade Commission has the right to test the legality of such settlements. They decided to do so with regard to a particular prescription medicine. The case was heard recently before the United States Supreme Court. The issue was whether such deals as described are legal.

 

Involved is Ando Gel. An erectile dysfunction remedy. It requires a man to spray the medication on his chest once a day. In due course, erect ability is supposed to return. Apparently it does. Sales are $400 million a year.

 

$400 million breaks down to a cost to the individual consumer of $250-300 per month, if there is no insurance. If there is insurance for the brand product, the cost to the consumer is $20-40 per month. If the product was generic and insurance available, the cost to the consumer a mere $5-10 per month.

 

Andro Gel's patent was attacked by a generic firm. The generic won. Andro Gel made a deal to pay the generic company $42 million a year for 9 years if it did not exercise its right to produce Andro Gel under another name. The $42 million a year for 9 years is substantially more than the generic company could have earned if it was actually selling the generic.

 

A good deal for Andro Gel. Its yearly profit would be $400 million, less $42 million a year. Still a tidy sum.

 

For whatever reason, the Federal Trade Commission decided to test the waters. The commission took the position such an arrangement was illegal. The case was recently heard by the United States Supreme Court. A decision will be rendered in due course.

 

I have no idea who will win. I am excited however that the issue is before the Supreme Court. Chicanery of this nature is to be attacked when ever and where ever it occurs. Transparency is required. Get everything on the table for all to see and understand. The big guys have to cease screwing the American public.