VIRUS vs. Antibiotic - Not Profitable?

 

 

VIRUS vs. Antibiotic - Not Profitable?

 

 

Quicksilver Times spends a lot of time identifying and sharing examples of how deep the systemic dysfunction of Western Culture runs.

 

Here is the latest example.

 

Over the past few years we've all heard about how virus' that attack humans are developing immunity to antibiotics.  This dangerous trend has gotten periodic, if peripheral, attention world wide since it is a very real world wide problem.  The key to the issue seems to be our inability to develop new antibiotics fast enough to keep pace with virus' ability to adapt.

 

But, as it turns out, that's not the only problem with finding new usable antibiotics.

 

A recent article in Wired Magazine focused on a new approach to defeating viral attacks by using the virus' own genetic make-up to destroy them.  (Mutants - Feb. 2013, Wired Magazine.)  Interesting and hopeful article.

 

But what's also interesting, and as insidious in  its' own way as the virus' themselves, is that buried deep in the article is a paragraph that should trigger an instant response of disbelief and anger.

 

As the article's author Carl Zimmer explains that the days of unlimited supplies of usable antibiotics are over, he also states -

 

"...Such drugs have become harder to find; and even when they are found, the market for them is far less lucrative than for molecules that combat such high profile killers as Cancer or AIDS.  As a result, the flow through the antibiotics pipeline has slowed to a trickle..."

 

Yes, you read correctly.  The molecules that could succeed in defeating new resistant virus' "ARE FAR LESS LUCRATIVE."

 

The pharmaceutical companies are choosing to produce medicines, not based on saving lives, but on how the much money they will make marketing them.

 

How deep is the Greed Dysfunction entrenched in our culture?  Deepdeepdeep. 

 

Almost as awful as the fact that this is happening, is the reality that it can be stated without anyone raising an outcry.

 

How much will we let those who Carry out our addiction to "More" take from us before we stand up and say "No More!"

 

Understand. They will keep taking until we stop them.

That includes killing us in the name of profit.  You.  Me.  Our children.  No one or nothing is sacred.

 

"What to do. What to do?"

 

The beginning could start with what the Quicksilver Times blog post of the same name suggests.  Might want to read it.  Or reread it and other relevant blog posts.

 

Feels overwhelming.

 

It's not the task of a day or a year.

 

Our task is to make a beginning.  To speak to what is irreparably broken.

 

To define alternatives.

 

To make a first step.

 

It's the responsibility of our generation.

 

How much more will we give them permission to take?"