Major Moral Dilemma: It Started with Viagra

Discussion in 'Human Science' started by coberst, Dec 5, 2008.

  1. coberst Registered Senior Member

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    949
    Major Moral Dilemma: It Started with Viagra

    It is obvious even to the most casual observer (no Critical Thinking required) that we must quickly deal with the problem that medical technology has left on our door step. As a result of the success of medical technology we can prolong life ever more, every day, than the day before. I claim that this constantly extending the prolongation of life must quickly cease; we can no longer afford such a foolish unreflective behavior.

    Bruce Hardy, a British citizen and cancer victim, was refused the funds, by British health officials, for a drug that could likely prolong his life for 6 more months. The drug treatment cost was estimated to be $54,000. His distraught wife said “Everybody should be allowed to have as much life as they can”.

    “British authorities, after a storm of protest, are reconsidering their decision on the cancer drug and others.”

    The introduction of the drug Viagra, by Pfizer, in 1998, panicked British health officials. They figured it might bankrupt the government’s health budget and thus placed restrictions on its use. Pfizer sued and the British government instituted a standard program, with the acronym NICE, for rationing health drugs.

    “Before NICE, hospitals and clinics often came to different decisions about which drugs to buy, creating geographic disparities in care that led to outrage.”

    “British Balance Benefit vs. Cost of Latest Drugs” New York Times
    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/health/03nice.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1&hp

    I have stated many times before that I was convinced that we have created a technology that is too powerful for our intellectually unsophisticated citizens to deal with. It seems to me that this particular dilemma does not require a great deal of sophistication to understand. This might be a perfect place to begin a nationwide (USA) Internet discourse directed at getting our intellectual arms around this problem and helping our government officials in an attempt to resolve this terrible dilemma.

    Incidentally I am 74 years old, which I think qualifies me to push this matter without appearing to be a hypocrite.
     
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  3. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    I feel sorry for prostitutes in places like Bangkok.
    Now they have old men groaning over them all night long,
    whereas they used to be incapable.
    I bet they hate Viagra.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2008
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  5. coberst Registered Senior Member

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    ”A 70-year-old woman in India gave birth to her first child, a girl, after undergoing infertility treatment, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

    The mother, Rajo Devi, had been trying for 50 years to get pregnant with her 72-year-old husband, who had failed to become a father in two prior marriages. It was undetermined whose egg and sperm were used in the treatment, the newspaper reported.”

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28112285/
     
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  7. Syzygys As a mother, I am telling you Valued Senior Member

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    12,671
    I am sorry but who is to say that a 70+ man needs to have a stiffy??? It is just natural, that sexual ability and desire goes down with age. Have a nice meal instead!
     
  8. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    33,264

    Great, now that child will probably be about 10 to 15 years old when the childs parent or both of them die! Who then will take care of this child?:shrug:

    Also, they have over one billion people living in India most of which are in total poverty, why would they want to bring yet another child into that type of environment?
     

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