Greed and Capitalism

[Cheshire Cat]

Today someone's leader said that the development and execution of a AZ vaccine was down to greed and capitalism. Surely it was down to innovation, creativity and insight by the developers and dedication, organisation and hardwork by the people delivering. This guy's judgement as ever is way off and will insult the people who've made this miracle happen.

 

[Hanglow]

He's self projecting, that's all. A complete clown of a man

 

[Clint]

I'm not watching much news...who's that then?

 

[Brew_DD2]

He's self projecting, that's all. A complete clown of a man

Exactly. Tells you all you need to know of his character. Never a leader.

 

[buddsy]

I guess it all depends if you think this medical treatment is actually really needed or not. If it is needed hes wrong, if its not then I would say he is correct and therefore it is down to greed.

buddsy

 

[Jim Brewster]

It's supply and demand (aside from the cronyism, conflicts of interest, etc when it comes to the contracts)

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

The majority of companies only exist because of capitalism and a desire to make more money than the founders can earn working for someone else. So you could argue that's true.

The people who do the actual work? Developing new drugs is probably a vocation.

Remember Martin Shkreli, the CEO who hiked the price of AIDS drugs by 4000%? An absolutely vile individual, but it could be argued that as CEO of a company exisiting to get the best return for its shareholders, he was acting in the best interests of his company (assuming he'd done his sums correctly).

 

[St00]

Moral relativism can pretty much be expected in modern politics and near constant spin. The media should pillory anyone suggesting such a thing, but seemingly no-one's held to account for being massive ****s in today's world.

According to WHO in 2019 someone died of suicide every 40 seconds, but instead of finding ways to make humanity happier the focus is always earn, buy, consume. Even the slightest expression or suggestion of compassion seems to be branded as leftist or socialism.

I'm just waiting for a Euromillions win and my island utopia.

 

[MickDundee]

I thought AZ were selling their COVID vaccine at cost value (the only pharma company doing so IIRC). Surely that’s the opposite of greed and capitalism?

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I thought AZ were selling their COVID vaccine at cost value (the only pharma company doing so IIRC). Surely that’s the opposite of greed and capitalism?

If that's the case, then good for them

 

[Rodcx500z]

I thought AZ were selling their COVID vaccine at cost value (the only pharma company doing so IIRC). Surely that’s the opposite of greed and capitalism?

Hi Mick, something people forget when diving on the key board

 

[MickDundee]

If that's the case, then good for them

https://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vk/COVID19-FAQs#Q9
“As part of an agreement between the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine will be supplied on a not-for-profit basis for the duration of the pandemic and in perpetuity for low- and middle-income countries.”

 

[Cheshire Cat]

https://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/vk/COVID19-FAQs#Q9
“As part of an agreement between the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine will be supplied on a not-for-profit basis for the duration of the pandemic and in perpetuity for low- and middle-income countries.”

Just makes my point the guy is an ignorant idiot.

 

[buddsy]

I love not for profit companies. Especially the way they can pay their chief execs millions in wages and still be thought of as not for profit.

buddsy

 

[Redwulf]

My understanding of the situation is this:

AstraZeneca is not a not for profit company but the licence from the University Team who hold the patent means that they sell for cost to health services, presumably for a set period of time after which the vaccine will go the way of the flu vaccine and AZ will make a profit for selling it. Through this deal they have earned a tremendous amount of publicity and goodwill from this but they are still big Pharma and there is most definitely a £££ value on this deal for them even if its not immediately obvious in the annual accounts.

As for our fearless leader, he is indicative of everything that is wrong with modern politics. We seem to live in a time of sound bites, misinformation and mob rule via social media. Here is a man who with very little personal effort could have been a national hero but instead has managed to become the driver of the big blue clown bus surrounded by cronies and opportunists and I am saying this as someone who generally votes Tory ffs.

 

[MickDundee]

I love not for profit companies. Especially the way they can pay their chief execs millions in wages and still be thought of as not for profit.

buddsy

I don’t think anybody thinks AZ are a not for profit organisation. However, they came to an agreement with Oxford University that the COVID vaccine should be sold on a not for profit basis which should be applauded.

The highest paid Chief Exec of any British charity is about £320k I believe so far from “millions”. I used to work in Charity Regulation in financial monitoring and outside of Universities and private schools (the latter I don’t think should get charitable status but that’s a completely different argument/conversation) I rarely saw a highest declared salary of more than £100k.

 

[buddsy]

The highest paid Chief Exec of any British charity is about £320k....
I rarely saw a highest declared salary of more than £100k.

Wow thats outrageous. IMO charity should have salaries capped at reasonable levels.

Its almost as bad as local councils some of who pay their chief execs over £80K

buddsy

 

[Oneflewover]

Moral relativism can pretty much be expected in modern politics and near constant spin. The media should pillory anyone suggesting such a thing, but seemingly no-one's held to account for being massive ****s in today's world.

According to WHO in 2019 someone died of suicide every 40 seconds, but instead of finding ways to make humanity happier the focus is always earn, buy, consume. Even the slightest expression or suggestion of compassion seems to be branded as leftist or socialism.

I'm just waiting for a Euromillions win and my island utopia.

Great post
I'd like to think that we could all do our bit; consume less, share less negative drivel from the media, be kind and compassionate towards others.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

For anyone that's seen the John Carpenter film "They Live" that's just where we are today. Put the glasses on and see the truth.

 

[Satellitemark]

Isn't it remarkably how much flack Astra Zenica have had over their not for profit vaccine yet when the expensive rivals have similar (unfounded) concerns ( blood clots) it's not mentioned, anyone would think a interested party is trying to discourage them, I suppose there are no kick backs from non profit medicines.


Mark