Comments on: Health Care Rationing? Singer, Sutent, and NICE

By: Worthy

Worthy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:39:06 +0000

How much does it cost to keep a convicted rapist or child molester alive?

Singer’s article turns my stomach!

By: Somewhere in Los Angeles

Somewhere in Los Angeles — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:22:34 +0000

My mother has Stage IV kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma). It has metasticized to her lungs, liver, spleen and spine. Sutent has given us extra time with her. Because she is on a fixed income, Pfizer provides the drug FREE.

Without the availability of this drug, we would have lost her 7 months ago as predicted. But she has lived to see so much more. Each day that she wakes is one filled with appreciation.

I thank “the system” that gave us Sutent. I thank Pfizer for having compassion. I thank all those that fight against making human beings expendible and a human life a law of uncomfortable averages.

I caution those that seek to legislate away a life … you have roused the sleeping giant called the American populace, and we will not go down easily.

By: marcb

marcb — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:18:41 +0000

You’re wrong - Singer’s article says:

‘(In March, NICE issued a final ruling on Sutent. Because of how few patients need the drug and because of special end-of-life considerations, it recommended that the drug be provided by the National Health Service to patients with advanced kidney cancer.)’

You’re also fundamentally wrong about Sutent in other ways - but I think you know that.

By: Rod Copeland

Rod Copeland — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:20:39 +0000

I’m a 61 year old male who had a kidney cancer tumor removed in Feb this year. Staged at T3b G3, I am now in clinical trial taking sorafenib or sutent..(Its a blind study, so I don’t know which drug I am receiving.)
The socialization of our health care system is idiotic, when we have such a great historical record of how our government performs.
Of course, I suppose my opinion doesn’t matter since I would be expendable due to my age and political position.
Not surprised to the see the NY Times begin a rationing discussion. I am blessed to have been able to get these drugs before Obamacare is forced down our throats.

By: Nancy Reyes

Nancy Reyes — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:46:54 +0000

I should note that Professor Schunklenk, a native of Germany, was formerly associated with the University of Witersrand in South Africa and Queens University Canada, now works at Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland.

He has written extensively on ethical dillemas of HIV and international ethical dilemmas.
He condemns non scientific ideologues who promoted the idea that HIV was not the cause of HIV,(link but also
has defended South Africa’s decision not to give anti retroviral medicine to pregnant women because it would divert money from other preventive medicine programs can be found HERE

(Dr. Amman’s rejection of his cost control analysis can be found here)

He has also coauthored a book on atheism. LINK

By: Nancy Reyes

Nancy Reyes — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:36:29 +0000

Oh I see.
Reporting that the New York Times editorial contains factual errors is a merely “uninformed piece of opinion”.

By: Prof Udo Schuklenk

Prof Udo Schuklenk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:11:29 +0000

Wow, what a remarkably uninformed piece of opinion masquerading as news reporting…