“Big Pharma” & Privilege: Or Why I Wish Allies Would Stop Using This Phrase

September 13, 2015 at 8:51 am (Discrimination, Reblogs, Reblogs with Commentary)
Tags: ableism, big pharma, chronic illness, disability, Ehlers-Danlos, health, Invisible Illness, Mental Health, Nutrition, Social Justice

This is the single best article on chronic illness I’ve ever come across.

Yes, drug companies are greedy. They overcharge. They hire lobbyists to subvert legal protections through large scale bribery. They fail to produce many medications that would transform people’s lives, either through lack of research and testing (research into rare diseases is expensive, and natural chemicals like cannabis aren’t profitable for various reasons) or through inadequate production of existing drugs. And they promote the use of drugs which are unnecessary or harmful (statins in people with high cholesterol but no history of heart attack, gastric acid inhibitors before the discovery of H. Pylori). But they do create much needed treatments and cures – I’d be long dead if they didn’t. And the natural lobby is no better – remember Ephedra?

Foxglove & Firmitas

A friend posts an article on Facebook about how the United States’ medical system does not meet the needs of those with chronic pain. This is a reality that I have experienced. This is a reality that I regularly speak to others who experience chronic pain have also experienced. About a month ago when I was at the doctor’s office for my annual exam, I overheard 2 medical workers talking about how they hate when patients say they’re in pain, because they know they’re over-reacting. I was horrified, but it wasn’t the first time I’d heard someone in the medical field say something like this.

When we talk about chronic pain, and disability in general, inevitably someone pops up to say something like the following:

I think chronic pain (and other illnesses for that matter) should be tackled with a holistic approach. Putting our faith completely in the medical system…

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