Pharma, etc. appears to be in the business of treatments and not cures.

Correct - but after years of this being the norm and standard situation, I’ve been watching and reading and slowly seeing this massive untouchable government control morph into another control by who’s who in the pharma industry….and the meds will not be available. They will promise relief at a significant lower price by offering a new and “functional” routine for us. I hope these columns are being scrutinized by a narrator or whomever offers these unbiased discussions. There will be a reduction of price to the consumer as promised, but it will still not have bettered the much needed collaboration between doctor, patient and industry. Our internist won’t be afraid to prescribe; the insurance industry will draw a sigh of relief and the patient will more than likely deal with ongoing pain.
We should all have the sense and strong dialogue to show control with our doctor with controlled and strictly monitored help and not be automatically labeled the abuser. Pain is pain and it produces an unproductive person much like the junkie or a user who leeches on society. What have we accomplished here except still being under the thumb of big government?
What about researching means to work internally with our injured or sick bodies and investigate alternative treatment to help improve to lessen the pain?