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Bill: R.I.4311 Competition in the pharmaceutical industry
Details
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: May 4312
Description[?]:
| We delude ourselves if we think we can just order a pharmaceutical company "Here is money. Now invent a cure for cancer." Scientific creativity cannot be politically commissioned. If it could all humanity's problems would have been solved already. Instead of dogmatically favouring certain corporations for their expertise in lobbying, the best way, not only to stimulate the creativity in research, but also to bring down prices, is to let the pharmaceutical corporations compete on equal terms in the marketplace. New ideas, new companies, are currently beaten out of the market by the big predators who can remain in control of the market, just by using the financial strength they can count on from government for nothing, to put aspiring competitors out of business. We should not give away tax payers money, with a pious hope of getting something for it. We should first let the companies show what they are capable of and let the consumers, by free choice, pay them for what it's worth. Since, most often doctors act as intermediaries between the consumer and the pharmaceutical producer, we apply the same rule for the health care policy. We still have the law that subsidizes pharmaceutical drugs for people of low incomes, though. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change The research and development of pharmaceutical drugs.
Old value:: The government subsidizes research and development of prescription drugs and regulates their prices.
Current: The government subsidizes research and development of prescription drugs and regulates their prices.
Proposed: The government neither subsidizes research and development of drugs nor regulates their prices.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change Health care policy.
Old value:: There is a public health care system, but private clinics are allowed.
Current: There is a free public health care system and a small number of private clinics, which are heavily regulated to ensure they treat their patients well and provide good care.
Proposed: Health care is entirely private.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 16:55:03, December 02, 2017 CET | From | Nasjonalt Arbeiderparti 🌹 | To | Debating the R.I.4311 Competition in the pharmaceutical industry |
| Message | Herr Huspresident, The privatisation of the well-established public healthcare system would eventually lead to a return of the many issues experienced by persons under the previous private healthcare system. Healthcare insurance determines whether an individual is able to obtain proper access to healthcare. This creates an issue for our middle class and lower class citizens who are likely to postpone/bypass healthcare this in return leads to the increase in harmful diseases being allowed to spread as they are going undetected. With respect to the economic involved; as we are currently seeing the incumbent Finance Minister is moving to (1) relinquish payrolls and (2) force individuals to save up for their retirement. These factors can be tied to how an individual will not be able to have access to qualitative healthcare in comparison to the more financially well-off citizens with private healthcare insurance. An individual now has to take into consideration that he/she now has to make with his own on putting aside finances for his/her retirement. This coupled with the proposed private healthcare system will place a significant strain on an individual's financial stability. There has been no proposal with respect to covering for our financially unstable citizens. Said individual will have a harder time at obtaining access to healthcare which creates the image that the government has failed at ensuring its citizens of a basic right. The health minister and finance minister must show that they have a plan for covering the healthcare and pension assurances for its citizens before this bill passes. "We still have the law that subsidises pharmaceutical drugs for people of low incomes, though." But what about the citizens who will no longer have proper access to healthcare when this private healthcare system is introduced for the simple reason that they cannot afford it? It is clear from the economic policies being peddled by the Finance Minister that they do intend on subsidising the healthcare costs for its citizens, noting that healthcare is not simply making pharmaceutical drugs available. We are talking about a firm government stance on immunisation, a firm government stance on either a pro-natalist or anti-natalist policy, a firm and logical government stance on abortions and pharmaceutical drugs. The privatisation of our public healthcare system must come with an insurance policy for our financially unstable citizens. Until that is done this is considered as a backpedal of the Kjerne's statements in its taxation policy portfolio. Herman Aarrestad Health and Social Services Officer Nasjonal Arbeiderkongress. |
| Date | 20:30:04, December 02, 2017 CET | From | Kjerne | To | Debating the R.I.4311 Competition in the pharmaceutical industry |
| Message | Herr Huspresident, Herr Aarrestad, I think this government has made great reforms and progress for Kazulia. We are proud of what we have accomplished together with the NA, before their dissolution, and NHR. We have taken a stride in empowering the citizens of low-, and middle- income. After the tax reform, they have a lot more money at their private disposal. As politicians, we may hate to say it, but I may dare to concede that nothing is perfect. We here in Stortinget will never be able to guarantee the perfect happiness for everyone at all times. There will be various opportunities for various people, and choices will be made by people that they will at some time wish they had made differently, but it is our conviction that - on average - better decisions for what people need will be taken by themselves, than if a central board decides what they need. We cannot accomplish all at once, though. I am thankful that Herman Aarrestad takes time to appear here to address these issues, for they are indeed essential, and it's good to have knowledgeable and conscientious people here to speak for the common people. Kjerne is not alone in this chamber in that regard. Kazulia is still very class divided. There is nobility, and the common people, and wide, too wide income gaps even after this first tax reform, and the bigger the income gaps are, the bigger will the problems that Aarrestad highlights remain. The proposal for covering for financially unstable citizens that Herr Aarrestad requires is at the very heart of Kjernes program, and what I would most like to accomplish as minister of social services is precisely this - that the very basic subsistence income that the government guarantees shall, not only be indefinite in time, but be further developed and enhanced into a guaranteed basic income for all Kazulian citizens. We did propose a bill in this direction a few years ago. Hopefully the time will soon be ripe for this idea in Kazulia. If another party proposes such a plan with an opportunity to gain a majority, we will obviously support it. Herr Aarrestad is right in bringing up the question of pay roll tax and pensions in this context. I will not speak at length about this issue for now. Finance minister Arvid Horn would be active in a debate about the inherent harm in this pensions system, which historically is a pretty recent invention, and belonging to the age of big industry. Let us just acknowledge that bill will not pass, for the same reasons that we have not been able to pass a basic income program. When Kazulia shall be ready for it, a separate pension system, and a pension age, will not be needed, as all citizens will be guaranteed a basic income from cradle to grave. -Karoline Hansen, Minister of Health and Social services. |
| Date | 20:57:35, December 02, 2017 CET | From | Kjerne | To | Debating the R.I.4311 Competition in the pharmaceutical industry |
| Message | Herr Huspresident, Herr Aarrestad, I think this government has made great reforms and progress for Kazulia. We are proud of what we have accomplished together with the NA, before their dissolution, and NHR. We have taken a stride in empowering the citizens of low-, and middle- income. After the tax reform, they have a lot more money at their private disposal. As politicians, we may hate to say it, but I may dare to concede that nothing is perfect. We here in Stortinget will never be able to guarantee the perfect happiness for everyone at all times. There will be various opportunities for various people, and choices will be made by people that they will at some time wish they had made differently, but it is our conviction that - on average - better decisions for what people need will be taken by themselves, than if a central board decides what they need. We cannot accomplish all at once, though. I am thankful that Herman Aarrestad takes time to appear here to address these issues, for they are indeed essential, and it's good to have knowledgeable and conscientious people here to speak for the common people. Kjerne is not alone in this chamber in that regard. Kazulia is still very class divided. There is nobility, and the common people, and wide, too wide income gaps even after this first tax reform, and the bigger the income gaps are, the bigger will the problems that Aarrestad highlights remain. The proposal for covering for financially unstable citizens that Herr Aarrestad requires is at the very heart of Kjernes program, and what I would most like to accomplish as minister of social services is precisely this - that the very basic subsistence income that the government guarantees shall, not only be indefinite in time, but be further developed and enhanced into a guaranteed basic income for all Kazulian citizens. We did propose a bill in this direction a few years ago. Hopefully the time will soon be ripe for this idea in Kazulia. If another party proposes such a plan with an opportunity to gain a majority, we will obviously support it. Herr Aarrestad is right in bringing up the question of pay roll tax and pensions in this context. I will not speak at length about this issue for now. Finance minister Arvid Horn would be active in a debate about the inherent harm in this pensions system, which historically is a pretty recent invention, and belonging to the age of big industry. Let us just acknowledge that bill will not pass, for the same reasons that we have not been able to pass a basic income program. When Kazulia shall be ready for it, a separate pension system, and a pension age, will not be needed, as all citizens will be guaranteed a basic income from cradle to grave. -Karoline Hansen, Minister of Health and Social services. |
| Date | 21:02:35, December 02, 2017 CET | From | Kjerne | To | Debating the R.I.4311 Competition in the pharmaceutical industry |
| Message | OOC: Blast! Sorry! Irritating! Apparently the post doubled just because I routinely, happened to refresh the page. So that's what I need to avoid doing. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 65 | ||||
| no |
Total Seats: 38 | ||||
| abstain | Total Seats: 57 |
| Random fact: There are two countries based on Egypt in the game. Cobura is based on modern Egypt with a retro twist, while Hawu Mumenhes is based on Ancient Egypt with a modernist twist. |
| Random quote: "Politics is the art of the possible." - Otto von Bismarck |