| Canuks: I’m quoting from the article hfxjohn linked for us; "This efficacy inspired some European countries and Japan to start clinical trials of their own, progress on which the U.S. had been woefully behind thanks to icy diplomatic relations with Cuba."I know the US/Cuba relationships are beginning to melt a teeny bit; but I don’t know what the relations Cuba has with other countries. You have a valid point; but knowing many researchers, all seem to have a universal pact that they share. And in Canada, it is very hard for ANY scientist to get funding from the government. It seems in the last few years a lot of research has halted, and those that continue are using private or corporate funding to continue. I can’t speak to what the UK is doing in the funding area. I hope someone here can speak up and give an opinion.I wish that wasn’t so in Canada. Canada is losing its most valuable assets in terms of all sciences to other countries. Remember the old "Canada’s Brain Drain" meaning Canadian talent going to the USA. It seems the tide has changed a bit and some Canadian researchers/scientists are coming back (don’t know the actual reason why). If our own government isn’t going to fund innovative research, what can we do? Cuba (at least to me) seems to provide a lot of their best to other countries for humanitarian reasons; and I know that Cuba benefits financially from the recipient countries; but the number of Cuban experts who come back to Cuba far surpass the number of defectors.
Thoughts anyone? Could be a lively debate (NOT argument). |
|
|
I think part of the issue here would be that this vaccine is relatively cheap to make. For better or worse the drug companies are only willing to pursue the new drugs that will make them big profits. And unfortunately, as you say, our government seems to be gutting any scientific research so a not for profit option appears to be limited. |
|
|
Once the Cuban drugs are approved by FDA in the US, they can be trademarked and marketed by international pharmaceutical companies. Big pharma will cite the enormous cost of testing these drugs, although in reality the cost is paid for by donations that millions of people make to “cancer fund-raising organizations” across Canada & the USA. Follow the money.Who doesn’t know somebody personally, or has heard of somebody, that cannot afford their drugs for cancer-related treatments? We can be sure that if/when these drugs developed in Cuba are deemed safe for use (ie financially viable for big pharma), the cost will be MUCH higher here than in Cuba.There is so much goodwill between so many people to develop treatments for people affected by cancer. Alas, I’m just a bit too cynical to see any benefit back to Cuba, or for the many people suffering with cancer without a top-notch insurance program to cover the cost. Sort of like AirBnB. |
|
| Interesting to see what else and all will come out of this and other medical information/break through’s that Cuba may have or be working on.
There are reasons why people go to the US for medical attention and help, even though we have "free" healthcare in Canada. |
|