tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post9083655169854227533..comments2024-03-27T03:19:11.216-04:00Comments on Assistant Village Idiot: The Curve Ball and Opportunity CostAssistant Village Idiothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-88534431232148475832009-03-13T01:36:00.000-04:002009-03-13T01:36:00.000-04:00As an engineer, I've seen an old murphy's ...As an engineer, I've seen an old murphy's lawism come to play every so often in R&D, and I think it applies to medicine as well. <BR/><BR/>In R&D there are three variables: Time, cost, and desired outcome. One can specify any two, but the third is an unknown until it happens. For example, We wanted to go to the moon in a short period of time, that meant the costs were going to be equally astronomical. On the other hand, if I leave soem money to guy doing the random reasearch he desires over a period of time, I'll never be entirely sure if he'll come up with the theory of the photoelectric effect, or just run through my money. <BR/><BR/>The government tries to hit targets it considers social good (ie looking for a desired goal, and time), while the free market tries to figure out the low hanging fruit, or big payoff items (ie specifying time and cost). It's just a matter of which model is desired. Both do have advantages. <BR/><BR/>Now, the research aspect, I consider separate from medicine in general. There, an ethical issue presents itself to some, although I often see it through a partcular free market problem: People are supposed to act rationally; however, when health comes into play, the idea of cost becomes difficult- especially with family members. Because of that, cost needs to be controlled, and therefore rationing of some sort needs to be done (although the social model rations it by waiting, as opposed to cost. But hey, there's no free lunch). I think the gov't can do rationing better than a corporation, if for no other reason, their monopoly on violence. It's not nice, but life never is really.bellisauriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12896539141824709155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-19066856382020265422009-03-12T20:49:00.000-04:002009-03-12T20:49:00.000-04:00Yeah, especially those of you who have loved ones ...Yeah, especially those of you who have loved ones who could benefit from medical advances. We don't know what they've missed, but we worry that it's...everything.Assistant Village Idiothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-27772964792023240752009-03-12T19:34:00.000-04:002009-03-12T19:34:00.000-04:00Yep. I am so sad about this, but what can I do?Yep. I am so sad about this, but what can I do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com