Sunday, September 22, 2002

HOW CAPITALISM AND THE PROFIT MOTIVE SAVE LIVES
Pharmaceutical firms are developing fewer anti-AIDS drugs now that AIDS activists and the media pressured them to cut their profits and give away billions in drugs to AIDS-stricken Africa. As you might expect, pharmaceutical firms have shifted research and development dollars to more profitable drugs.

You can read the entire news article here. For an explanation of this economic phenomenon, skim through the first few chapters of an Economics 101 textbook.

Both William Quick and Andrew Sullivan give their opinions on this story. You'll have to scroll down a little at both sites.