One thing that will not substantially change as a new government takes power in January 2021 is the near-total lack of advocacy for our needs, as living human beings, where they conflict with the fiscal interests of “corporate persons.” Perhaps the most grossly apparent manifestation of this is the never-ending protection of pharmaceutical profit margins by our bought-and-paid-for Washington politicians on both sides of the aisle. Powerful members of both parties have been blocking real reform of the pharmaceutical industry for decades. Medicare is not allowed to use its bargaining power to lower prices. Individuals are not legally allowed to import their own, cheaper medications from abroad.
The government isn’t going to protect us in this area, so it’s time for us to take action ourselves. As private citizens, we could create one or more not-for-profit generic drug manufacturing co-ops. These organizations would be bound by charter to: (1) serve the pharmaceutical needs of their members and all Americans, (2) never turn a profit, and (3) re-invest every dime of revenue back into the co-op itself in order to improve processes or expand the line of drug offerings. Nearly every generic drug could be offered to consumers for just a few dollars per month.
People could pay, for example, a $200 annual membership fee. This would grant the right to vote for the board of directors — several of whom must be laypersons, several of whom must be scientists or physicians, and several of whom must be economists, accountants, lawyers, etc. The co-op charter would require a quarterly financial report and an annual detailed assessment and audit of all operations.
I, personally, have no administrative or organizational talent. Won’t someone please take up this cause? I'm a physician, so I'm willing to serve in a medical advisory capacity. Let's just get it done.
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Time to Bypass Big Pharma
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