Political Quotes

“It is interesting, looking at this whole thing, because what we see happening in Britain right now--they call it NICE, but there is nothing nice about it--National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence--what Dr. Berwick has had to say about it is very much the opposite of what doctors who practice there have said. What he has said about this system is that: Those organizations are functioning very well and are well respected by clinicians, and they are making their populations healthier and better off. But a London colon cancer specialist says: A lot of my colleagues also face pressure from managers-- Managers in the British health system-- not to tell patients about new drugs. There is nothing in writing, [he says] but telling patients opens a Pandora's box for health services trying to contain costs. So it gets down to not quality of care, not availability of care but the cost of care. Dr. Berwick says NICE is extremely effective and a conscientious, valuable and--importantly--knowledge-building system. This is what--someone--says: Doctors are keeping cancer patients in the dark . . . These are specialists, polled by Myeloma, United Kingdom: Doctors are keeping cancer patients in the dark about expensive new drugs that could extend their lives. . . . So let's keep people in the dark rather than tell them what is there that can help extend or save their life. That, to me, is not a system that the American people want.”