[EnergyUnlimited]

One of largest pharmaceutical companies on the world (Pfizer) is cutting about 10000 jobs.
The interesting part of this story is, that large number of those cuts will affect R & D.
You have BBC link here. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6288031.stm
I wonder what is the actual reason of such cuts. They may not believe, that any meaningful discoveries are very likely in the future or: They possibly concluded, that price (R&D expenses etc) of such discovery will exceed conceivable profit from sales...

I think, we may witness problem of diminishing returns here. One of hallmarks of the end of progress. Of course "outsourcing" may be a reason, but as long as I am concerned, big pharma does not like to subcontract advanced stages of drug discovery process to other companies due to various issues related to intelectual property rights.
Senior management there is (or at least 4 years ago was...) reluctant to set up R&D in countries like India due to intellectual property thieft related concerns.

I will watch closely other big pharma companies. If they do the same, it will give even more support to my suspicions presented here.
After all it does not make sense to cut R&D, when your blockbuster drug patents are to expiry shortly, does it?...unless you do not believe that your potential new products will make it into market...or that consumers will have enough money to pay for them.

[Ludi]

Many recent "discoveries" are just a minor molecule change to an existing medication. Drugs only need to work slightly better than nothing in order to pass by the FDA. I think any age of great pharmaceutical discoveries has already passed, but that's just my low opinion of the pharma field, though I depend on it.

[smallpoxgirl]

We passed peak pharmaceutical discoveries several decades ago. There are fewer coming out now. They are more expensive, have more side effects, and are less effective.

[128shot]

We have yet to see the potential of stem cell research, nano medical tech, or genetic engineering. This is where its at now.

[DesertBear2]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'M')any recent "discoveries" are just a minor molecule change to an existing medication. Drugs only need to work slightly better than nothing in order to pass by the FDA. I think any age of great pharmaceutical discoveries has already passed, but that's just my low opinion of the pharma field, though I depend on it.

[AWPrime]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('128shot', 'W')e have yet to see the potential of stem cell research, nano medical tech, or genetic engineering. This is where its at now.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'M')any recent "discoveries" are just a minor molecule change to an existing medication. Drugs only need to work slightly better than nothing in order to pass by the FDA. I think any age of great pharmaceutical discoveries has already passed, but that's just my low opinion of the pharma field, though I depend on it.

[NEOPO]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DesertBear2', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'M')any recent "discoveries" are just a minor molecule change to an existing medication. Drugs only need to work slightly better than nothing in order to pass by the FDA. I think any age of great pharmaceutical discoveries has already passed, but that's just my low opinion of the pharma field, though I depend on it.

[gampy]

Wasn't Pfizer the big pharma corp that recently had a CEO compensation scandal?

Mother of all golden parachutes?

Perhaps these are related. Maybe the company was just so poorly managed that their operations suffered, and now they have to lay off all these people.

Perhaps it's more to do with incompetence, past and present, that is affecting sales, market share, development?

[eerae]

I am one of the people who are being cut. They are closing the entire Ann Arbor site where I work. When I got my biochem degree in 2000, I thought I would have a very secure career, and my wife was able to stay at home. Now, I don't know what to do. I was born and raised here and really don't want to leave the area, but there is very little left in Michigan for the skills that I have.

I think many of the easy drug targets have already been found, and the rest of them will probably be harder. The new direction will be biologics, as they are very specific, such as antibodies, but these are more difficult to produce. I do think drugs can only do so much. Other diseases, such as cancer, alzheimers, and obesity (if you can call that a disease) are much more complicated. They may be managed, but I think the public is expecting too much if they think a drug will come out that will "cure" them of these diseases.

It is pretty common knowledge that lifestyle is a huge factor in many of this country's diseases, but people would rather spend huge sums on health care and take a pill than exercise and eat right. It is not the drug companies' responsibility to get people to change their behavior.

Yes, there are treatments for all kinds of seemingly "trivial" ailments like restless legs syndrome, but this country is built on choice. You have the right to choose to accept or deny treatment for any condition you like, and the majority of people choose to treat it if there is something available that helps. Don't blame the drug companies for simply offering that choice.

As far as myself, I am not sure of the future. I don't know if I should go back to school, relocate to another drug company, or just find any old job I can find around here. I don't think there is much job security in most jobs anymore. Some of the things I did to prepare for peak oil was move from Illinois where I worked for 4 years back to my home state of Michigan so I am not stranded from my family when TSHTF. I bought a house where I could ride a bike to work, and was paying off debt. All in preparation for peak oil that I still am not sure is long-term or short-term. However, now I have an immediate short-term problem that I wasn't even anticipating, and I have to worry about providing for my family in the pre-peak world. Increasingly, the way this country is going I am thinking we won't necessarily call it peak oil, but a number of factors will lead to the downfall of this country in many industries simultaneously, and it will be slow and painful.

[dukey]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')odium fluoride, a hazardous-waste by-product from the manufacture of aluminum, is a common ingredient in rat and cockroach poisons, anesthetics, hypnotics, psychiatric drugs, and military nerve gas. It’s historically been quite expensive to properly dispose of, until some aluminum industries with an overabundance of the stuff sold the public on the terrifically insane but highly profitable idea of buying it at a 20,000% markup, injecting in into our water supplies, and then DRINKING it.

[dbruning]

and here we all thought there wasn't a plan to lower population numbers. See, no need to worry.

[PolestaR]

The thing is though... who drinks unfiltered tap water these days anyhow? I think the reason western society has so many ailments is simply because they are too fat. What is the percentage of overweight in America now? 60%? I'd worry more about the MSG, preservatives, artificial flavorings and colorings more than the filtered water most drink.

After giving up all of that shit I just mentioned in my food I don't even have any urges to eat that much anymore - and I work out 6 times a week, so it's not like I'm underactive. There is something to those things which fool you into overeating I think. It's also funny how you can really taste the added MSG so easily after you haven't had it for ages, yeeuck.

[gampy]

I still drink tap water. Why would I buy something, when I can get it for free?

Mind you...they just use chlorine here, not sodium flouride.

Mmmm....chlorine! Tastes like ass and less filling!

Seriously though, I don't mind the taste of tap water. I prefer well water from a clean aquifer, or an icy mountain stream, but it's all good.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dukey', '[')img]http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/images/fluorid1.jpg[/img]

[dukey]

i just pasted the article without expression opinion on it
i agree with a lot of what you say EnergyUnlimited

but to have something which is known to be hazardous in the water. Sure small doses won't kill, or probably even cause harm. But it is the accumulation inside the body which causes problems. And there is a lot of evidence to support this.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/ ... 72,00.html

[flash width=400 height=326]http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=7319752042352089988&hl=en[/flash]

[Kingcoal]

Recently, I began taking EDTA in capsule form for my heart health. I was shocked at the effect it had on me. After a couple days I began to feel better than I had in years. I've been losing weight because I just haven't been as hungry, probably because I have more energy. The vascular disease benefits from EDTA are supposed to take a couple of months to show effect.

Anyway, it makes me wonder because EDTA is the primary treatment for lead, mercury, aluminum and cadmium poisoning. I'm wondering if I was suffering from mild metals poisoning.


Link.

[Kingcoal]

"On no account will a Commie ever drink water, and not without good reason...Water is the source of all life. Seven tenths of this earth's surface is water. Why, you realize that seventy percent of you is water...And as human beings, you and I need fresh, pure water to replenish our precious bodily fluids... (Mandrake chuckles nervously) Mandrake, have you never wondered why I drink only distilled water, or rain water, and only pure grain alcohol?...Have you ever heard of a thing called fluoridation? Fluoridation of water?... fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face."


- Tim Dirks, transcription, Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kingcoal', '"')On no account will a Commie ever drink water, and not without good reason...Water is the source of all life. Seven tenths of this earth's surface is water. Why, you realize that seventy percent of you is water...And as human beings, you and I need fresh, pure water to replenish our precious bodily fluids... (Mandrake chuckles nervously) Mandrake, have you never wondered why I drink only distilled water, or rain water, and only pure grain alcohol?...Have you ever heard of a thing called fluoridation? Fluoridation of water?... fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face."


- Tim Dirks, transcription, Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove

[Dreamtwister]

Eating apple seeds can kill you as well if you eat enough of them.

There are more than enough legitimate conspiracies against the people. Do we really need these distractions?

Personally, I'm far more concerned about our diminished tolerance for naturally occuring bacteria and protozoae in water that forces our dependance on the treated water, than the water treatment itself.