Pills, Profits, and Patients When Greed Takes Over - and Patients Die

Profits. Pharmaceutical companies. Healthcare. These three items are a constant ‘sore spot’ with much of the American public. The United State’s combination of capitalism and the medical industry is the reason we have such a strong history of innovation, but what about when the desire for profits puts patients at risk? Has medical and pharmaceutical ethics reached a profit-to-ethics tipping point?

Everett Winslow Lovrien M.D., author of the memoir Doctor Guilt? retells his experiences with the HIV and Hepatitis infected Factor VIII Concentrate and warns that such a tragedy could happen again. During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s Dr. Lovrien experienced the aftermath of his patients whom suffered from Hemophilia who were now discovering they were infected with HIV and/or Hepatitis because of the medication he prescribed (Factor VIII Concentrate). Lovrien spent years watching the suffering caused by the medicine he prescribed; he trusted the drug company to have produced a quality product whose components (such as donor blood plasma) were free of contaminants.

“The discovery of beneficial new methods and products for treatment of medical conditions has been successful in the U.S. as a result of the free market and capitalism; pharmaceutical companies are motivated by profitability,” states Lovrien. “As beneficial as free market capitalism is to the medical field and to consumers, there is a lack of serious regulation behind the closed doors of pharmaceutical manufacturers.”

In an informative and thought provoking interview Dr. Lovrien can discuss the events depicted in Doctor Guilt? and other topics like:

- The Factor VIII story -- how he ended up prescribing a medication to patients which was tainted with HIV

- Whether a disaster like Factor VIII could happen again, or sufficient safeguards are now in place

- Could ‘greed’ and the free market system ultimately be good for the medical system since it spurs innovation and research?

- The benefits of medical treatment compared with the hazards of therapy.

- Regulation and testing of new medicines and products; is it as rigorous as many believe?

After finishing medical school, Dr. Everett Winslow Lovrien, M.D. completed specialty training in pediatrics and a new field of medicine, medical genetics. For 28 years, he was on staff at a clinic that supervised the medical care of the genetic disorder Hemophilia. Doctor Guilt? is based upon his experiences.

Available at Amazon.com , Barnes?&?Noble.com, and iUniverse.