MovieChat Forums > Dallas Buyers Club (2013) Discussion > Is everyone missing the big pharma consp...

Is everyone missing the big pharma conspiracy here?

posted 10 years ago by jackcristoe
26 replies | jump to latest

Surely that is the underlying message of the film - that the hospitals, the police, the government etc are all profiting from big pharma, so keep it going!

Seriously, every day I see people trying some new processed food labelled 'good for you' every tried some fruit or vegetables? Do some exercise maybe?

Could it be all some messed up politics?

I mean, anyone who has experimented with a low sugar, all natural diet - and exercises knows themselves that they no longer need the doctors crappy medicine. It has been in medical research for a long long time, and while some people seem to understand this - I still heard a group of adults recently, talking about a headline in a newspaper claiming low sugar diets was the new 'craze'.

They are banning the promotion of high sugar foods in schools. Why stop there? Are those foods high in processed sugar bad for just kids? These foods are bad for anyone's health, so why are they still promoted everywhere else (apart from in schools of course - because a kids brain is only influenced by advertisements inside that building)

It's a massive contradiction, and the people must not remain ignorant! Learn to cook, look after your health and you will be a free man!

You don't need these expensive drugs, or exercise machines or 'low fat good for you' food. The whole thing is a big scam. If your are not convinced read on or watch the film again and note that AZT is STILL widely used. I don't get how more people aren't outraged by this, what a giant scam.

I took a free cholesterol test in the supermarket the other day, of course my reading was off the chart low, even though I eat 5 eggs everyday and eggs are supposedly high in cholesterol. I asked what they do for people with high cholesterol, she said they recommend some flora margarine that's supposed to lower your cholesterol. The company that funds this test is also selling their product to fix the problem they diagnosed you with.

And this stuff is everywhere... Who could ever know the true stats behind the amount of biased studies, the ones that show no support for their product are simply not published, or the researcher is replaced to a corruptible one.

Again see the film, when the doctor mentions the study was never repeated when it clearly needs further trials. I feel like I'm going crazy when people watch this and it all breezes over them.

The implications of the message portrayed in this film are just huge, I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like if everyone was properly educated on their health.

[–] wkuhlin 10 years ago

Also, is it true that the FDA only approves medications that are toxic? Several years ago a coworker of mine was dying from bone cancer. She told me she had heard of a natural product that gave people great health improvements in other countries but said she couldn't afford it and insurance wouldn't cover it because it was nontoxic and thus not FDA approved.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sholomar 10 years ago

All I know is I used to be one of them curezone people who thought there was validity to things like liver flushes, coffee enemas, drinking MMS, eating bentonite clay, drinking urine, and all that stuff, but let me tell you, it's all a bunch of BS.

The body is capable of detoxing itself just fine and although you can give it a helping hand with a balanced diet low in refined carbs and high in veggies and lean meat, along with exercise, there is no magic cure.

Genetics are the problem and I'm all for genetic research and drug research. I'm sure there's corruption but hey that's human nature... if there was some magic cure to cancer nobody would be able to keep it a secret. Sorry but consuming backing soda or raw almonds/apple seeds isn't going to save ya... maybe try water fasting?

Do what makes you feel good because placebo effect is quite powerful sometimes...

[–] trixietrx 10 years ago

Thanks Sholomar for trying to clear up some ignorance.

I worked in pharma for many years. One of the first things we are taught is that if we see something suspect going on to report it. There are so many checks and balances you wouldn't believe it.

Of course there has been corruption, but the FDA is all over that. There are blacklisted docs who aren't allowed to be in clinical trials. There are so many rules and regulations for drugs. There are so many drugs that never make it to market, and the expense of all of this is why the prices of new drugs are so high. I forgot the stats of how many drugs are tested and never make it to market, and how much a drug that actually makes it to market costs. And you probably didn't realize that most of these pharmas have programs to help those who can't afford the meds.

I knew a man who was a doctor. Lived the healthiest lifestyle imaginable. He died around 7 years ago from a sarcoma that developed in his leg. Fast deterioration. Incredibly sad and totally took everyone by surprise. He was in his early 40's.

I hate taking meds, I react poorly and get a lot of side effects. But I refuse to do without my psych meds, as I can't cope without them (yet - working on it). Then there was the heparin and coumadin when I had a blood clot. Or how about the anti-rejection drugs out there which totally changed the world in regard to transplant medicine? Sometimes we are born with genetic abnormalities, sometimes we are injured, sometimes who knows what happened and sure sometimes we just live an unhealthy lifestyle.

Oh, forgot to mention Penicillin. Can't kill bacteria with a toxin flush. Vaccines? How about just pain relief, or allergy meds?

[–] tom-1674 10 years ago

You claim you worked for big pharma for years, yet you completely whitewash the many shameful practices these criminals have gotten away with. Why am I not surprised?

[–] trixietrx 10 years ago

What shameful practices have I whitewashed? I'm relaying information I was quite intimate with. I worked in R&D. Shameful practices lead to severe penalties/punishments. Unless you'd like a repeat of the Thalidomide babies (look that one up).

[–] tom-1674 10 years ago

Shameful practices lead to severe penalties/punishments.

Only a tiny minority do, and only after years of stonewalling, lies, bribes, threats, etc. by big pharma. The vast majority of the time, the revolving door at the FDA gives these crooks a free pass to poison and/or rip off people.

I'm quite familiar with the thalidomide scandal, thanks. My mother took it when pregnant with my older brother, but stopped because it was useless.

[–] trixietrx 10 years ago

It used to be gifts to anyone from the FDA could not exceed $25, that includes auditors that come to inspect data, unannounced, in providing them lunch or dinner or anything. I've seen the regulations in action, so until you can give me some idea of what you are talking about, there's not much I can say. Sure, pharma focuses on those drugs that have a big market, but I've also worked on studies that would treat diseases which affect a very very small population.

[–] tom-1674 10 years ago

until you can give me some idea of what you are talking about, there's not much I can say

You have blinders on. Am I wasting my time here, or do you seriously want to learn more about how disgusting your industry really is?

If so, why not start with AZT? This movie accurately portrays how big pharma scumbags continued to falsify trial data which led to the poisoning and premature deaths of thousands of people just for a quick buck. Are you going to whitewash that too?

[–] devilsrain 9 years ago

You are correct. Trixie is just a naive pawn in the industry. (or trolling)

A most recent example is Dendreon and the 1st cancer vaccine. So many things happened from delays on approval, conflicts of interests on the FDA panels, CMS reviews and ultimately destroying the company through hedge fund manipulations.

Big Pharma doesn't like cures for Cancer, they want you to have chemo where it destroys your immune system then you get to go on a whole recipe of drugs.

They got it right in DBC. Its that one brief scene where he's handing out the DBC flyers and yells at Big Pharma. I for one was happy to see it but since theres no one regulating the FDA, sadly the corruption will continue.

[–] DreTam2000 9 years ago

I find it funny that the one type of drug you mentioned you are unable to kick is the psychological kind. If ever there were a type of drug most interpretative and not so empirical, it would be the kind that psychiatrists prescribe.

I can't tell you how many bipolar friends and friends with paranoid schizophrenia and other disorders I have had over the years, who take to the medicines that doctors give them without questioning them. They become addicted to them- many as earlier as their teenage years- and they deteriorate mentally or psychologically as they age.

Psych meds are the ones you can find your way around the likeliest. It simply takes thoughtfulness and a desire to take back one's existence. Even requesting that a doctor or psychiatrist give you half the usual dosage can be smart. Additionally, support groups are often a beautiful option. They have AA, heroin-users anonymous, cigarette-smokers anonymous, marijuana addicts anonymous, sex addicts anonymous, all sorts of anonymous. It would be incredibly smart to find a bipolars anonymous, paranoid schizophrenics anonymous, bulimics anonymous, or any other number of behavior disorders or psychology disorders anonymous, and try that out first. Drugs should be a last resort. Those positive groups every week, where one meets in a circle to discuss their issues and express their sorrows and life's problems can be highly beneficial.

Medication should be a last resort. And even then, the dosage doctors often prescribe are stronger than what's needed for an already weakminded patient who trusts the doctor far too much. Like someone else once stated, "What kind of parent allows a doctor to dope their kids up on drugs?"

I'm not a control freak, I just like things my way

[–] Shady_313 10 years ago

I didn't miss it. Most will. They either want to fight about the political correctness of how you call someone by their gender or they go too far like the post above mine. Ignorance is giving Big Pharma the power and money the need.

[–] jjk488-1 10 years ago

That is how I have felt reading over this message board. The way the FDA is corrupt is what I got out of this the most.

But it seems like most people just want to bicker about stupid personal hang ups and phobias.

[–] deezmofoz 10 years ago

that point was pretty obvious...when ron started owning the fact that he had HIV/AIDS, he started taking better care of himself in what he was putting in his body - no processed foods & all the vitamins & he began to feel better along with his "unapproved" treatment. people seem to underestimate the power of clean eating. i'm not healthiest person myself, but i can tell significant differences in the way i feel just by cutting out 1 or 2 things from my diet or replacing them.

it was no surprise that once his business really picked up, the IRS & everyone else came after him & other hospitals cut him out...because he was undercutting whatever drugs they & the FDA wanted pushed.

THEY SHOOTIN'! ah, i made you look.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TristramShandy 10 years ago

The underlying message? They hit you over the head with a sledgehammer with that message. It was THE message of the film.

================
Win for Vin 2014!

[–] leekingswood 10 years ago

The message wasn't clear enough for me to point the finger 100% at 'big pharma' unless that term is also intended to encompass 'big government'. Remember when the DBC offices were raided and they confiscated all of Ron's products/supplies? The gov d-head even took his aloe because it wasn't labeled properly. The gov simply wasn't getting what it considered it's fair share of Ron's revenue because he bypassed obtaining (i.e. paying for) all the regulatory approval, and therefore it wasn't going to allow him to sell it. Were they acting upon pressure from 'big pharma' to take those actions? Perhaps. Also, I believe he was running a cash only business, thus I doubt he was keeping accurate (if any) records for the IRS to tax.

Besides that, it was obvious that the U.S. hospital (where Garner's character worked) was a proponent of solely using AZT, as it was the only "approved" product for combating the HIV infection at that time. That is where the 'big pharma' conspiracy plays out.

Just my two cents.