Robert A. Ingram, The Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2015
At the dawn of the 20th century, life expectancy in the United States was 47 years. Today, it’s 79. Two decades ago, a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C was a death sentence. The mortality rate from AIDS has since dropped 85%, to fewer than 7,000 deaths a year from 44,000. Hepatitis C cure rates have reached 90%. These stunning improvements are the result of medical and scientific advances. If they continue, we could someday solve the riddle of such scourges as Alzheimer’s and cancer. Why, then, are some people so willing to jeopardize if not halt this progress? It’s a question that those who seek to vilify pharmaceutical companies need to answer. […read more]