Budget

For nearly two weeks, I wish to talk about the recent incident on NovoSeven.

But regular audience of this blog would probably know my opinion, and I shall not bore you further. There's just some discussion behind to scene that I could share:

• Head administrator (HA): If it is in emergency situation and the drug is life-saving, it should be offered free of charge.
• Clinician: Does the headquarters have special funding for this item ?
• HA: Don't be silly. The department that gives the treatment needs to cover it with their own budget.
• Clinician: How could that happen ? We are already in a deficit !
• HA: Aren't you going to renew the equipment that you use to treat those cancer patients ? Forget about it and your account would be balanced.
• Clinician: But the care of many patients would be affected ...
• HA: Come on, our priority is to treat the media and our honorable council members. After all, your cancer patients could get a new machine by the time they come to the media.
• Clinician: That's too traumatic to me. (Author's note: I'm sure he is talking about the budget, not the accident.) We've got to prevent it happen again.
• HA: That's easy: Do not tell patients that there is a novel treatment, and do not apply for any new drug.

PS. It is rather uncommon to see my friend VW loses his temper, but, on this matter, you may wish to read http://vwswong.blogspot.com/