Abstract

At present, human society is facing a health care crisis that is affecting patients worldwide. In the United States, it is generally believed that the major problem is lack of affordable access to health care (i.e. health insurance). This book takes an unprecedented approach to address this issue by proposing that the major problem is not lack of affordable access to health care per se, but lack of access to better, safer, and more affordable medicines. The latter problem is present not only in the United States and the developing world but also in countries with socialized health care systems, such as Europe and the rest of the industrialized world. This book provides a comparative analysis of the health care systems throughout the world and also examines the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

• Examines the health care structure of the United States, Europe, and the third world, both separately and comparatively
• Offers primary source insight through in-depth interviews with pharmaceutical and health care industry leaders from around the world
• Carefully explains, in clear terms, the intricacies of the health care and pharmaceutical system and how these intricacies have led to the current crisis
• Offers concrete, comprehensive solutions to the health care crisis

"This book is an excellent summary of the health-care crisis facing the world today, comparing health care in wealthy, industrial countries to that in poor, underdeveloped countries. Sánchez-Serrano, a Panamian health-care adviser/consultant, covers the history of health care, including pharmaceutically driven treatments; challenges with new drug discoveries; unmet medical needs; and profits. The author also emphasizes the high cost of research and development for new drugs. He explores the issues related to government-supplemented research and summarizes the interaction of government-sponsored basic research, academic (pure) science research, venture capital investors, and industry…. The author provides many specific examples of successes and failures of past/present systems and discusses the evolution of pharmaceutical company philosophies in the past 150 years and future challenges. This book is fact based and nonpartisan. The only areas not explored are the modern diagnostics industry, the phenomenal advances in medical devices, and the cost of modern physician care (and the cost of physicians' education). Summing Up: Highly Recommended" --Choice