“The Cost of Dying: End-of-Life Care” - 60 Minutes Report

For those of you living in the US, last night's 60 Minutes' report of the incredibly high cost of cancer drugs about killed me:  http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-cost-of-dying-end-of-life-care/

 

The episode reports that pharmaceutical companies operating in the US are charging exorbitant prices for new drugs that are no better than similar cancer drugs AND doctors get, essentially, kick-backs for prescribing these drugs.

The costs are so expensive that the families of these patients often blow their life’s savings or go into debt so that their loved ones can get these drugs.

And, to make matters even worse, the cancer drugs merely prolong the victim’s lives by months (not years) and do not cure the cancer (or almost never provide a cure).

Why hasn’t the government done something about this? Well they have, they made it legal for the big Pharma companies to do so. In fact, it’s the law.

It may be the law, but it’s immoral, underhanded and, in my opinion, evil.

You can read more here: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/93000-cancer-drug-how-much-is-a-life-worth/