Welfare. Can we afford it?

[First Aspect]

IMO what we lack is any kind of rational non-party discussion about the country's priorities.

Where is the debate about health spending by age of patient for example?

We might decide to spend more on health promotion and less on treating the diseases of old age, for example.

E.g. is it cheaper to keep obese people on munjaro permanently than to treat them later for diabetes, arthritis, heart disease etc? I am not sure when the parents run out, but as soon as they do it's going to be harder to argue.

 

[Rusty Nails]

E.g. is it cheaper to keep obese people on munjaro permanently than to treat them later for diabetes, arthritis, heart disease etc? I am not sure when the parents run out, but as soon as they do it's going to be harder to argue.

I hope you mean 'patents' running out rather than euthenising the elderly.

 

[First Aspect]

I hope you mean 'patents' running out rather than euthenising the elderly.

I did. I need to find a more literate keyboard that doesn't autoincorrect.

 

[Ian H]

The question should be can we afford not to pay welfare to those in need. Leaving aside questions of moral duty.

 

[TailWindHome]

E.g. is it cheaper to keep obese people on munjaro permanently than to treat them later for diabetes, arthritis, heart disease etc? I am not sure when the parents run out, but as soon as they do it's going to be harder to argue.

Asked my Sister-in-law (a doctor) this question recently as I thought the same.

Esentially they (GPs) have been told that the up front costs of x million patients on these drugs at £y per month for life would bankrupt the NHS long before any savings would be made.

 

[First Aspect]

Asked my Sister-in-law (a doctor) this question recently as I thought the same.

Esentially they (GPs) have been told that the up front costs of x million patients on these drugs at £y per month for life would bankrupt the NHS long before any savings would be made.

Hence my reference to the patent term. As I understand things, the earliest filing dates for these is 2016 or thereabouts. If you can hold out until probably 2041 we will probably see generics on Amazon.