Taking medicine out of politics

Every since the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the American medical apparatus has been an integral part of partisan politics. Within the political platform of each party is always a reference to improving medical performance for the people. Often the political party’s position on medical issues can make the difference in political wins or losses. (The adoptions of Medicare and Medicaid have certainly been an outstanding political asset for the Democratic Party.)

Many of the key positions of the political parties are constantly changing with the changes in attitudes and positions of the times, but medical care, in some form or other remains a staple.

The fact of the matter is that some good things for the country have resulted from mixing politics and medicine, but it has also had its minuses. Many new innovations have resulted from the national attention focused on medical awareness and healthcare.

On the other hand, the national exposure health care has received in the 20th and 21st centurieshas lead to an over-commercialization of the industry, placing the best of it out of the reach of manywho need it most. Too often commercial companies have exploited the industry at the expense of the needy. Hardly a betterexample can be cited thanprescription drugs.

Drug companies spenda fortune on “consumer advertising.” The media,on the other hand, while claiming neutrality,

accepts the money while

still begging for more… more…more…(Incidentally, we are one of the few Western countries that permit unrestricted drug

advertisements.)

Also, one might question the amount of dough

that drug companies spend on contributions to

politicians. What would be wrong with political candidates being forced to disclose publicly all the donations and the companies from which they came?

Or, what about the cost of the thousands “free samples” that the medical    companies overload doctors with? I once overheard a primary