Innovation, why we can't afford socialized medicine...

With all the talk about the administration and Congress conspiring to take over the US medical system with a government run system, there have been many concerns expressed about choice, costs, overhead, rationing of care, and I'm just scratching the surface. I have concerns in those areas, but, an overarching issue for me is what would happen if the US abandoned the current system, where there is a competitive medical industry. Would we be giving up one of our greatest strengths, research and innovation in medicine?

Imagine a world where a government run system determines what the most cost effective treatments are, and approves those for payment. If you're a doctor, are you going to recommend a course of treatment that may be the most appropriate, but, that won't be reimbursed because it's too expensive, or considered experimental? That kind of thing, trying to do what you believe is in the best interest of your patient, but, not what big brother thinks is cost effective, well, I hope you have good malpractice insurance...

Imagine a world where you are running a drug company. You can find ways to produce existing medicines, in a generic form, at lower production costs, and know that the government system will create a market for your generic, albeit dated and marginally effective product. Your other alternative, is to invest dollars and manpower in research and long trials for a new drug that in 10 years might, just might be considered for use, and only if you agree to price it the way the existing, less effective drug is priced, so that it will be covered. Will any company take the risk of long research cycles, and trials, and the FDA approval process if they may not even be able to charge enough to cover the long lead time and expense associated with creating a "breakthrough" drug?

When you look at the most significant advances in medicine, is it any surprise that the majority of them come from the US? Is there any surprise that foreign dignitaries would fly to one of the teaching hospitals in Boston for leading edge medical technology and proceedures, rather than their socialist utopia health care systems? (Think of the most recent case, where Danny Williams, the Premier of Newfoundland, came to the US to have heart surgery. I thought the Canadian system was supposed to be a model for us to look up to?)

Is it any wonder that when the Nobel committee hands out prizes in physiology or medicine, that more of them go to American residents than all the other countries combined? Do we think that will continue if those researchers don't have the potential for a payday somewhere down the line if their highly risky and speculative research is successful?

Risk/Reward, it's a pretty key motivator. The best and brightest, throughout history, have been motivated to take on the toughest challenges, and achieve amazing results, because they believe that their success will be rewarded. They also understand that failure isn't rewarded (which provides a pretty good incentive to keep trying until you accomplish something!)

We can't afford to take the most innovative and forward thinking medical research engine in history off line. It's not just the US that depends on our health care system, the majority of the world has based their system on copying the innovations that were born here. What happens when we're just another government run system?