I can't think of anything off the top of my head that seems more important than something designed to raise money to keep something going that keeps IV drug users from dying.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
As soon as we find a cure, we will utilize any of the donations to go toward providing medication to those who can't afford it. That is my goal.
Rather than squander the surplus on tax breaks for the rich, we should add a prescription drug benefit to the Medicare program, shore up Social Security, fortify our defense, provide a quality public education and offer economic assistance to rural areas.
Medicines are unusual commodities. Important drugs can save the lives and protect the health of millions. Their consumption can bring huge benefits, by helping patients to avoid infection and preventing serious damage to the economies of families, nations and even humanity at large.
Anything that gets people to think harder about their financial security and take some responsibility is a good thing.
At FDA, our mission is to promote and protect the health of the public. As commissioner, I've worked hard to galvanize people around that idea. I want employees to be thinking about the unique and essential contribution they are making to our mission.
Even the securest financial plan and the finest health coverage aren't enough to hold us steady when the challenges come... We need something more, something deeper and unshakeable, something that will see us through life's hard times.
In an era of unprecedented medical innovation, we have to do more to ensure that patients facing terminal illnesses have access to potentially life-saving treatments.
Investing in health will produce enormous benefits.
My priorities are to make sure we get the prescription drug bill, that we fund the research in NIH adequately, and that we fund the Center for Disease Control adequately.
I believe that life-saving, essential drugs should be freely available and the innovator should be paid a suitable royalty payment for his invention.