[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by GrumpyOldMan

R&D leadership is also a thing of the past in the US sadly. US Healthcare industry is totally LASER focused on finding the most profitable form of "treatment" of issues, and almost no "cures" have been found in decades. For an example, look at the recent "innovative" research into Alzheimer's. 35% chance of complications that can be fatal, and no evidence it cures, stops, or even slows the disease. But, it does affect one of the signs of the disease (plaque buildup on the brain), and it does cost $56,000 per year. Almost $5,000 per month. You know WHY they can charge $5,000/mth. You would know if you know anyone that has gone through having a relative with Alzheimer's.

This is the essence of predatory capitalism. Extorting as much as possible from people. The FDA approval to sell this drug even states there is no significant evidence to support it for treatment. But, people are so desperate for something, that the FDA is going to allow this company to extort a fortune from the victims for years while it runs more studies to see if it MIGHT help.$5,000/mth for something that might help, maybe. For the rest of their lives.

In any case, more R&D is being done around the world into innovative medical technologies than in the US.

As an ex-CEO of a healthcare company said recently, "There is NO money in finding cures, you can only sell the cure to a person once., the real profit is in treating things, you can sell patients treatments for the rest of their lives".

Yeah, I want to trust my healthcare to people with that attitude.

And if my dentist makes a mistake I will fly back to Ecuador and he will correct it. He hasn't and I am not worried. If it becomes a life and death emergency, I will go to the VA healthcare facility and have it taken care of. If it is not life-threatening a round-trip ticket to Ecuador is $450. I can make 3 round trips there for the cost of one crown here ($1200). A crown in Ecuador is $400. Less than one round trip ticket.

I have in the past PAID US prices for dental work and had negative outcomes, and I am not certain, but I doubt ANYONE has ever died from a botched crown.

You continue to make these outlandish claims with nothing to back them up...

Un-freakin'-believable...