Rampant environmentalism kills

[ERCougar]

Interesting revelation tonight.
For the last few weeks, I've had patients complain that albuterol inhalers are really expensive. The first few times I heard it, I just sort of rolled my eyes and said, "skip your next pack of cigarettes...that should cover it", as albuterol has been dirt cheap for some time now. Well, one of the hospitals I work for just passed a policy preventing the long-time practice of dispensing inhalers in the ER. This prompted me to call a pharmacy to see what was going on.

Step in EPA....

Turns out that the traditional inhaler contains CFC's and as of January 1, 2009, can no longer be sold. Problem is, its replacement is much more expensive, $35 for an inhaler with half the medication of the old $2 model. And that's the generic version. Lest you think this isn't a big deal, asthma is a huge killer of young people, particularly African Americans, one for which we have (had) an inexpensive cure, or at least preventive measure. I'll be very curious to see what happens these next few months, as more and more of our poor are stuck without their inhalers. Scary.

But now we can rest easy knowing the ozone layer is still intact.

[RobinFinderson]

And did you hear? No more mercury thermometers! Damn environmentalists.

[ERCougar]

And did you hear? No more mercury thermometers! Damn environmentalists.

So I can't quite tell if you're joking here, so I'll bite.

A thermometer never saved anyone's life. There are cheap substitutes for mercury thermometers.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this is going to kill people. Guaranteed.

[Coach McGuirk]

Bureaucracy is a great thing. By the way, did any of you know that after February 10th you can not resell any children's toys, clothes and/or care products at a garage sale or any other type of sale without proof that the product can pass the new CSPIA regulations. Have fun with that one.

Also DI will have to stop selling childrens clothing because of this....

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,2083247.story

[TripletDaddy]

cant we just keep buying them in mexico? we buy most of our prescription meds in Tijuana because it is always much cheaper.

[RobinFinderson]

So I can't quite tell if you're joking here, so I'll bite.

A thermometer never saved anyone's life. There are cheap substitutes for mercury thermometers.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this is going to kill people. Guaranteed.

I agree with you. An inhaler that can save a poor child's life is TOO expensive at ANY price. So we can't look after the needs of both the poor AND the planet? You are making a case for socialized medicine, not lax environmental standards.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

cant we just keep buying them in mexico? we buy most of our prescription meds in Tijuana because it is always much cheaper.

Go for the cheap drugs, stay for the donkey show!

[ERCougar]

I agree with you. An inhaler that can save a poor child's life is TOO expensive at ANY price. So we can't look after the needs of both the poor AND the planet? You are making a case for socialized medicine, not lax environmental standards.

Nope. The government will already pay for inhalers for poor people through Medicaid and/or CHIP. I'm advocating for the ones whose parents are too stupid or lazy or proud to enroll their children. Or for the adults who are too stupid or lazy or proud to enroll themselves.

What's wrong with making an exception for asthma inhalers?

[TripletDaddy]

Go for the cheap drugs, stay for the donkey show!

we usually just eat lunch and then head back. sometimes we don't even eat lunch.

we also watched jai alai once.

[RobinFinderson]

we usually just eat lunch and then head back. sometimes we don't even eat lunch.

we also watched jai alai once.

I think there is 75% probability that Mike Waters will one day join a jai alai club.

[RobinFinderson]

Nope. The government will already pay for inhalers for poor people through Medicaid and/or CHIP. I'm advocating for the ones whose parents are too stupid or lazy or proud to enroll their children. Or for the adults who are too stupid or lazy or proud to enroll themselves.

What's wrong with making an exception for asthma inhalers?

There are a number of solutions to the problem, each with a different set of pros and cons.

The old inhalers are cheap because the industry is already tooled up to make them. If we make an exception for them, there is no incentive for the industry to retool. The new inhalers will get cheap. Should we make an exception to fill the gap while we wait for prices to drop? Doing so will prolong the gap.

Another solution is socialized medicine. It has its pros and cons too, but it is by far the most equitable and fair way to distribute life-saving supplies and procedures. Plus it eliminates the problems of stupid, lazy and proud, since EVERYBODY is covered by the same program (no shame in that), and a person simply needs to go to the doctor to be served (no bureaucracy to trip up the stupid and lazy). Really, you are arguing for socialized medicine. You just don't realize it.

[Shaka]

we usually just eat lunch and then head back. sometimes we don't even eat lunch.

we also watched jai alai once.

Mmmmmmm, 3 for a dollar tacos at the border. Dysentery never tasted so good.

[ERCougar]

There are a number of solutions to the problem, each with a different set of pros and cons.

The old inhalers are cheap because the industry is already tooled up to make them. If we make an exception for them, there is no incentive for the industry to retool. The new inhalers will get cheap. Should we make an exception to fill the gap while we wait for prices to drop? Doing so will prolong the gap.

Another solution is socialized medicine. It has its pros and cons too, but it is by far the most equitable and fair way to distribute life-saving supplies and procedures. Plus it eliminates the problems of stupid, lazy and proud, since EVERYBODY is covered by the same program (no shame in that), and a person simply needs to go to the doctor to be served (no bureaucracy to trip up the stupid and lazy). Really, you are arguing for socialized medicine. You just don't realize it.

I'm not anti-socialized medicine, but I don't consider saving the ozone from CFC's released by asthma inhalers a very persuading reason to socialize healthcare.

So yes, I'm arguing against silly environmental regulation.

[RobinFinderson]

I'm not anti-socialized medicine, but I don't consider saving the ozone from CFC's released by asthma inhalers a very persuading reason to socialize healthcare.

So yes, I'm arguing against silly environmental regulation.

Well as long as you are not anti-socialized medicine then we can agree to disagree to be friends, right?

[myboynoah]

I wrote about this earlier, having experienced the sticker shock ourselves. Sure we'll pay the extra money; what options do we have? But it's just an omen of what's coming if we fall prey to this global warming hysteria.