>Likely far more of the former than the latter per medicine's track record in the last couple decades
I'd say that "medicine" has advanced quite a bit over the last few decades.
Five year survival rates for cancers are up 40%[0] since 1975.
AIDS treatments, when administered properly, extend the lives of infected persons by more than 500%[1] over those who don't receive such treatment.
Advances in orthopaedic (especially arthroscopic surgery) and spinal surgery have completely transformed the quality-of-life of numerous folks I know -- including myself.
And that's just a few things that "medicine" is getting right. How about developing and distributing a safe, effective vaccine for a a dangerous pathogen within a year of getting access to its genetic sequence, with several more to follow within 24 months?
While there certainly are problems in the US pharmaceutical industry/regulatory environment which have caused incalculable harm to millions, "medicine" is more than the rapacious, incompetent scumbags in Big Pharma.
However, the only way to reverse that is to fix the perverse incentives that rewards the singular pursuit of profit over the health and well-being of humans.
There are a variety of ways to attempt such fixes, but it won't be easy to pull off, as there's a lot of money behind these folks. And more's the pity.
But I'll say it again, "medicine" is more than just Big Pharma, insurance companies and healthcare conglomerates. Medicine has made our (mostly for those in the the "Global North", but also for many in the developing world too) lives demonstrably better in many, many ways.
I'd argue you're far more forgiving and optimistic than what's realistically happening with respect to ""medicine" is more than just Big Pharma, insurance companies and healthcare conglomerates"
My experience with a semi-edge-of-medicine chronic condition has been absolutely atrocious nearly across the board and even with the absolute experts. And there's multifactorial reasons for it.
>My experience with a semi-edge-of-medicine chronic condition has been absolutely atrocious nearly across the board and even with the absolute experts. And there's multifactorial reasons for it.
Your anecdote (as vague as it is) isn't very helpful in making any sort of point. I'd add that your interaction with the healthcare system wherever you may be is irrelevant in the aggregate WRT medical advances that have provably and measurably made folks healthier and live longer.
My goal here isn't to persuade you of anything. Rather, it's to point up that your attitude and (claimed) experience is, at best, orthogonal to my comment.
