Мастер wrote:We also have the issue of competition. Even if we are in a situation where it is collectively more profitable not to provide a cure (e.g., do not cure the disease, but treat the symptoms, as the latter is more profitable), it is not individually more profitable, since a firm that produces the cure will capture all of the revenues from curing the disease, but sacrifice only part of the revenues from treating the symptoms.
For the conspiracy theory to work, you need either a monopoly supplier, or a cartel. Cartels have been known to exist (OPEC, for example), but they tend to be plagued by cheating - even though it is collectively better to maintain discipline, each individual cartel member has an incentive to cheat.
Dragon Star wrote:The answer is pharmaceutical companies. Cures are of zero concern for the industry. Making them reduces vast amounts of profit from years of developed treatments and drugs that help the specific issue but are legit terrible for you in every other way, meaning more money to keep producing better drugs that do basically the same shit.
Good analogy, I'm watching Hell On Wheels right now, and the guy building the Union Pacific Railroad track is being paid like 16k/mi, so instead if making the track straight, he intentionally makes it look like a snake to insure he's making as much money as possible. Welcome to big pharma.
Arneb wrote:Oomph. Finally, someone found that out. Now I know why we have highly effective antibiotics, can cure a deadly liver disease that I hardly knew the name of when I graduated (hepatitis C) and can completely avoid and even eradicate infectious diseases that have plagued humans for millenia by vaccinating people at less than a dollar a shot. It all makes sense now.
Мастер wrote:Arneb wrote:Oomph. Finally, someone found that out. Now I know why we have highly effective antibiotics, can cure a deadly liver disease that I hardly knew the name of when I graduated (hepatitis C) and can completely avoid and even eradicate infectious diseases that have plagued humans for millenia by vaccinating people at less than a dollar a shot. It all makes sense now.
Wow, so there's a hep C cure now? I didn't know that.
Arneb wrote:Congrats! You just saved a sum that would buy a large sedan, well-equipped and spanking new, right there.
Мастер wrote:We also have the issue of competition. Even if we are in a situation where it is collectively more profitable not to provide a cure (e.g., do not cure the disease, but treat the symptoms, as the latter is more profitable), it is not individually more profitable, since a firm that produces the cure will capture all of the revenues from curing the disease, but sacrifice only part of the revenues from treating the symptoms.
For the conspiracy theory to work, you need either a monopoly supplier, or a cartel. Cartels have been known to exist (OPEC, for example), but they tend to be plagued by cheating - even though it is collectively better to maintain discipline, each individual cartel member has an incentive to cheat.
Arneb wrote:Wait a minute, say that again: You want to counter conspiracy therories with arguments. Like, information? Reasoning? What are you trying to do, barf into gale force wind?
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