But do they? That's what they tell you.
We used to be a civilised country where health care was free to anyone - except spongers from abroad who abused the system and then buggered off. Health care SHOULD be free.
Things that piss you off Page 1,598
My sister and I took part in a drugs trial a few years ago. We were briefed at the start that even if it proved successful, the chances of it being licensed and available to us were very slim.
Just remembered something - I may have remembered some bits wrong but the message is the same; very many years ago I wrote to the then Health Minister asking why with some conditions all medication was free, but with other incurable conditions requiring lifelong medication it was not. For example, a person with thyroid problems was entitled to free prescriptions, regardless of what they were for. At that time, the list of conditions which qualified for free prescriptions hadn't been changed since 1962.
The response was something like 'there are no plans to make any changes at present.'
There's always been an issue of quality of life surely?
Quote: sootyj @ 2nd June 2015, 5:39 PM BSTThere's always been an issue of quality of life surely?
But who makes that decision?
Quote: Chappers @ 2nd June 2015, 5:05 PM BSTBut do they? That's what they tell you.
We used to be a civilised country where health care was free to anyone - except spongers from abroad who abused the system and then buggered off. Health care SHOULD be free.
The costs of bringing new drugs to market are exorbitant and well documented. No need for tinfoil hats in the discussion.
Nothing is free, even healthcare in countries with socialized medical care. It costs the same trillions of dollars in one large nation as the next, the only thing that differs is how the money is raised.
If the government insisted that all drugs were free, pharmaceutical companies would stand no chance of turning a profit and they'd stop developing new medicines. I guess you could put the government in charge of the research and manufacture of drugs, but I guarantee you that they'd be slower, more expensive and more wasteful than a private company. The answer to our problems is seldom more government involvement in our lives.
Quote: DaButt @ 2nd June 2015, 6:08 PM BSTThe costs of bringing new drugs to market are exorbitant and well documented. No need for tinfoil hats in the discussion.
Nothing is free, even healthcare in countries with socialized medical care. It costs the same trillions of dollars in one large nation as the next, the only thing that differs is how the money is raised.
If the government insisted that all drugs were free, pharmaceutical companies would stand no chance of turning a profit and they'd stop developing new medicines. I guess you could put the government in charge of the research and manufacture of drugs, but I guarantee you that they'd be slower, more expensive and more wasteful than a private company. The answer to our problems is seldom more government involvement in our lives.
What interests me is how the decision is made about which medical conditions qualify a patient for free prescriptions.
Quote: Loopey @ 2nd June 2015, 6:19 PM BSTWhat interests me is how the decision is made about which medical conditions qualify a patient for free prescriptions.
I don't really have any insight into the workings of the NHS. I've always assumed that everything was free, but I guess I can understand the bean counters balking at pills that cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. It's not fair, but life itself isn't always fair. 
Quote: DaButt @ 2nd June 2015, 6:26 PM BSTI don't really have any insight into the workings of the NHS. I've always assumed that everything was free, but I guess I can understand the bean counters balking at pills that cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. It's not fair, but life itself isn't always fair.
It's a Primary Care Trust Lottery where I live. One Trust may authorise a treatment which another refuses.
Quote: Will Cam @ 31st May 2015, 11:44 PM BSTGood old Roodeye, he really knows how to flounce
For the record, I assure Will (and everybody else) that I am not Gussie.
I like Gussie - though at first I thought he was doing a character (a bloody good one too)
Also, Gussie, if you're listening I more or less agreed with the shows you mentioned:
W1A - Shit
Inbetweeners - Quite good but hardly excellent
Plebs - Utter tripe
not seen the next one - something like: no woman
the other one was shit - I can't remember your list
Car Share - I quite liked it actually
By the way, if you are doing a character I love it and if not then you could make a great comedy using yourself as a main character - it's funny
When someone angry gets put through to your department despite the fact that they need a different department, but refuse to let you put them through to the right department until they've wasted time and energy explaining what their problem is.
Quote: Loopey @ 2nd June 2015, 5:50 PM BSTBut who makes that decision?
Ideally the individual.
But well you have apointees for all sorts of things in life, why not the quality of it?
It's worth remembering Sir Terry, died in his own bed, in his own home surrounded by his family.
Not in Switzerland, I think it was knowing it was his choice that gave him the freedom to live.
I would have thought that the Alzheimer's would have got worse before death was inevitable. It seemed that he did want to travel to Switzerland, and not to visit his bank account...
That was an excellent doc. he did on Dignitas some while back.
People who don't post TTPTO on this thread.