BHS 499 (Senior Capstone Project) Module 2 SLP - Essay Example

Evolution of the Problem EVOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM The high costs of drugs remained to be a serious public concern. Prescription drugs arevery significant aspect of modern medical care. Basically, Americans need quality new drugs at reasonable prices. However, it is unlucky that most pharmaceutical industry do not meet such need. Nevertheless, the public has long time hoped for a reform regarding this issue. Newly elected US President Obama expressed that he would speed up approval of low-cost generic adaptation of expensive biotechnology drugs through "a new regulatory pathway" at the FDA or Food and Drug Administration.

He would also require drug companies to offer bigger discounts/rebates (at least 22.1), to Medicaid, for the health program of low-income people. This up-to-date proposed legislation is directed to create an abbreviated pathway, as well as the potential effect of the said pathway for FOB approval of the PHS Act biologics on specific federal spending. In recent years, the introduction of bio-equivalent generics for drugs which are chemically synthesized or "conventional drugs" resulted in considerable generic penetration as well as average price effects (Mathieu, 2004; pp. 10-1). In pharmaceutical industries, Patents serve to protect inventors' intellectual property rights at the same time allowing them to share information which others might use in order to progress or advance the field.

Yet, in the modern pharmaceutical business, the system is quite grossly abused as it permits companies to patent drugs which are not reasonably considered as "new inventions'. As a matter of fact, several companies flooded the market with drugs which are not affordable. This practice has been used by many companies to prevent altogether and delay competition among generic drugs. On the other side, there have been numerous studies which reveal that gifts being offered to doctors by drug companies also create a direct impact on the drugs (Ehisen, Evolution of the Problem 22008) that those doctors prescribe.

Doctors normally prescribe more drugs the moment they acquire gifts from drug makers. This medical practice has been contended by the advocates because such practice contributes also in the increase of health care costs, since it motivates physicians to prescribe very costly brand name medications instead of less costly generic equivalents. Obama also underscored that the proposed health care reform must cover the increase family planning services accessibility for low-income women through expanding eligibility under Medicaid.

Women has a fundamental reproductive rights and the State must show commitment and ensure that they receive serious attention. However, some U.S. laws and policies endanger women's lives and health by restricting their access to reproductive health care. The Committee was able to observe that several women continue to suffer discrimination on grounds aside from gender, national, race, or social origin. For this reasons, States parties needed to address the discrimination struggled by women (HRC, 2008).

Some women in US have been limited in terms of the access to contraception as well as reproductive health care. Majority of the Americans, access to reproductive health care services and contraception depends largely on private health insurance coverage that is provided by their employers. But, more than one fifth or 21% of U.S. women with age 15-44 have no health insurance (Guttmacher, 2004), therefore, they must pay for the health care services obtained out of their own pocket. Women are usually covered through their husband's employer-based health insurance, which means they can be more vulnerable to loss of insurance coverage; particularly if: their spouse loses coverage, if their spouse's employer will no longer cover dependents, or if their spouse will start to receive Medicare earlier than she is eligible to receive Medicare herself (Patchias and Waxman, 2007).

Evolution of the Problem 3REFERENCESEhisen, R. (2008) Drug money. State Net Capitol Journal, 16:9, 1-18.Guttmacher, A. (2004) Inst., Medicaid: A Critical Source of Support for Family Planning in the United States. Retrieved July 30, 2009 from http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/7064.cfm; Health Reform Committee (2008) General Comment 28, supra note 1, 30.PAREXEL International Corporation (2004) Biologics Development: A Regulatory Overview (3rd ed.) U.S.C. 262, pp. 10-1.Patchias, E. M. and Waxman, J. (2007) Women and health coverage: The affordability gap.

The Commonwealth Fund, National Women's Law Center. 1020; 25, p 2.U.S. Census Bureau (2004) Current Population Survey, 2002 to 2004 Annual Social and Economic Supplements. 16 states that provide state Medicaid funding of medically necessary abortion for low-income women, 64.