Postrel on the Drug Industry

Virginia Postrel has written two superb articles on the drug industry, the risks they take in drug development, and the dangers we face as a result of government regulations on this vital industry. She also discusses the "universal health care" debate.

The first article is from the March 2009 Atlantic: "My Drug Problem":

If I lived in New Zealand, I'd be dead.

...The American health-care system may be a crazy mess, but it is the prime mover in the global ecology of medical treatment, creating the world’s biggest market for new drugs and devices. Even as we argue about whether or how our health-care system should change, most Americans take for granted our access to the best available cancer treatments—including the one that arguably saved my life.

The second is her response to reader feedback: "Defending 'My Drug Problem'".

I highly recommend reading both articles!