Communicated Content – The average human lifespan is far more than it used to be several years ago. In the early 1900s, the average life expectancy ranged between the late 40s and 50s. Today, with better healthcare and scientific advancements, we have gained the ability to live past the 70s. However, recent studies show that the high rate of cancer cases is directly related to the increasing average human life expectancy.
Cancer can be caused by a myriad of reasons. Some are caused by self-indulgent practices such as smoking, and some are unavoidable, such as hereditary mutations. Also, people with existing health conditions such as diabetes pose a higher risk of getting diagnosed with certain cancers like pancreatic cancer.
What’s even more disturbing is when drugs that are supposed to relieve you from medical conditions contain cancer-causing agents. Zantac, a drug that’s supposed to provide relief from problems such as acidity and heartburn, was found to contain a dangerous carcinogen named NDMA. Many people believe that they might get diagnosed with cancer after using Zantac.
Millions of people filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of this drug, and the litigation has been attracting a lot of attention ever since. Along with widespread distress and anger, GlaxoSmithKline, the primary manufacturer of Zantac, faces class-action lawsuits that can potentially cost them billions of dollars in settlements.
The Healthcare Cycle
The reason humans live longer today is because of significant advancements in the medical and healthcare industry. Today, we have systems to detect deadly diseases such as cancer well before they reach worse stages. Also, widespread awareness, better education, and lifestyle improvements significantly contribute to extended life spans.
However, there may be a few other factors for longer lifespans and better healthcare. It’s no secret that the medical and healthcare industries have lucrative and sustainable business models. Investments and cash flow have continually been on the boom, especially during the pandemic.
One of the major revenue streams of drug manufacturers, healthcare institutions, and research centers is cancer. Unlike less severe conditions such as pneumonia or diabetes, cancer is a sure-shot way of earning big money. While advanced treatments and healthcare facilities provide us with hope to live longer, it also has the incredible potential to rob people of their income and peace of mind.
However, sometimes life happens, and all you can do is try to the best of your capabilities to get out of such a terrible situation. It would be even better if you could lower the chances of getting it, for which you must know its primary causes.
Growing Cancer Treatment Costs
Prolonged healthcare means sustainable revenue and profits. Speaking of profits, the average price of new cancer drugs in the US is more than $100,000 a year. In 2000, this was only five thousand to ten thousand dollars a year. This high cost of cancer drugs and the continuing increase in cost places a huge financial burden on individual patients as well as the U.S. society as a whole.
More importantly, cancer drug costs in the United States are 50%-100% hundred percent more than in other countries, including developed countries. However, they developed most of these drugs with tax-funded resources.
Usually, pharmaceutical giants have a set of common arguments for why cancer drugs cost so much. The primary reason they cling on to justify the high prices is the enormous costs involved in cancer research and drug manufacturing. Now, while this is true to an extent, some studies prove that it still doesn’t tally the high costs that burden patients and their families affected by cancer.
To Summarize
Today, we have systems in place that can detect diseases well before they happen. Widespread awareness and access to better education and lifestyle are major contributors to longer life spans. However, researchers have linked a long life span to the ever-growing number of worldwide cancer cases.
This leads to the thought that longer lifespans and better healthcare also significantly benefit the medical and pharmaceuticals. Regardless, we have to evaluate our options and do the best we can to recover from the adversities caused by cancer.
There’s nothing more devastating than getting diagnosed with such a deadly disease, especially when it is in a later stage and has metastasized. However, you must not lose hope. This does not mean it’s the end. As much as cancer has a reputation for being deadly, many people have fought it and made it back to a fruitful life.
