Americans take fish antibiotics because it's cheaper than a visit to the doctor | Hacker News Reader

Americans take fish antibiotics because it's cheaper than a visit to the doctor

theguardian.com

Not an antibiotic but an antiseptic costs $6 per box of blisters. It helps me with the yearly colds by killing bacteria. The active substance is used for both horses and humans. Now the cheap human packaging is not available anymore. Only a three times more expensive water solution that I can’t take onboard of a plain. :-( I’m sure bought in bulk for horses it’s exactly the same powder but even cheaper than $6.

Colds are caused by viruses that live in our cells, not bacteria. An antiseptic would probably not be much use unless it killed your cells as well, which would probably be worse than the virus.

America is weird

It starts to make sense when you assume a great number of people are out to make the most money, at all times, in any way possible.

Yes, it does. You know, I live in a poor country called Brazil. About 20 years ago a right-wing Health Minister under a neoliberal president created a law that breaks the patents of any medication after 10 years on the market. After that, any laboratory can fabricate it, and the prices drop dramatically. We call these "generics", and each manufacture goes through all the same tests and regulations that the original went through.

It works really well. And because of the competition, even the originals become cheaper.

you are drinking mouthwash?

plenty not getting the best sinus medicine because doc visits are expensive. plenty going to the street corner buying unknown mixtures to treat pain for the same reason. even if you have insurance, these things are not affordable for many, even if you can afford it, some doctors won't treat pain or suffering seriously.

severe tooth / mouth pain at midnight? Go to the emergency room, and get a $2500 bill and a tylenol. Try to find a dentist available in the morning, and have the cash upfront for treatment.

Can't afford a root canal? They may pull the tooth out for a few hundred. Then you may or may not get pain medicine option beyond tylenol, if you can afford it.

Why don't people understand why so many are self medicating with things not available to the elite?

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